In this post, you’ll find the complete guide for the best road trip itinerary for East Coast Australia. Including the recommended number of days in each place.
You can easily adjust the itinerary according to you preferences and needs. And if you want to know more about planning your ultimate East Coast Australia road trip, you can read my complete guide for a dreamy road trip on Australia’s East Coast.
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
Contents of this article (Click below, or scroll to see the full road trip itinerary for East Coast Australia):
- Cairns and Daintree (3 days)
- Scuba diving Great Barrier Reef
- Chillagoe
- Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays
- Cape Hillsborough
- Hervey Bay and Fraser Island
- Brisbane
- Byron Bay
- Blue Mountains National Park
- Phillip Island
- Melbourne
- Canberra
- Sydney
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Cairns and Daintree (3 days)
Cairns in the Northern part of Australia is surrounded by mountains, lush rainforest and of course the Great Barrier Reef. The tropical climate makes the area great for diving, swimming in waterfalls and relaxing by the public outdoor swimming pool.
The best part about Cairns is its surroundings. If you want a fun day trip, drive to the Waterfall Circuit. Here, you can swim in Millaa Millaa and the other waterfalls on the route.
Daintree Rainforest by Port Douglas a bit north of Cairns is a must visit. Daintree is the oldest rainforest in the world, and you can see crocodiles and other wildlife, visit indigenous reserves like Mossman Gorge and take in the wonderful scenery of Cape Tribulation. There are plenty of day trips, but if you have extra time, having more time to explore is worth it!
Cairns isn’t the most interesting, and you can easily see what there is to see in a day. The marina and the night market are good spots for hanging out and eating good food. And if you’re in the mood for shopping there are many great stores and high-end boutiques in the central Cairns.
Scuba diving Great Barrier Reef (3 days)
Whether you’re a certified or aspiring diver, or an avid snorkeler, Great Barrier Reef should be on your itinerary for your Australia East Coast road trip. Great Barrier Reef is abundant in underwater life. You can spot sharks, rays, turtles, boxfish, pufferfish, clown fish and more more among the stunning, colourful corals.
We booked a dive trip for 3 days and 2 nights on a liveaboard with Pro Dive Cairns. We had a great experience and I can really recommend Pro Dive (not sponsored or affiliated, this is just a genuine recommendation).
The total price for two certified PADI Advanced Open Water divers was 1,025 AUD (690 USD) including taxes. This included 11 dives, all dive gear, all meals, and transpot.
If you’re not already a diver, you can get PADI Open Water (not sponsored, or affiliated) certified during the trip, or you can snorkel.
Chillagoe (1 day)
Since the typical East Coast Australia road trip won’t take you through the Outback, we decided to add a detour to our itinerary to make it the best road trip itinerary for East Coast Australia. We drove to Chillagoe from Cairns to explore the caves and the famous Balancing Rock.
The drive though the Outback was amazing and almost completely paved, with only a small stretch of gravel road. During the drive there is plenty of opportunities to spot wallabies and kangaroos and other wildlife. Due to the remote location, you have the road to yourself most of the time.
One day in Chillagoe is enough to see all the sights. But you need to spend the night as the drive out is between 3 to 4 hours. If you’re in a van like us, you’re not exactly fast and driving in the Outback at night can be dangerous.
Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays (3 days)
Airlie Beach itself is mostly a party town for young travellers staying in one of the hostels. There are some nice restaurants, cafés and bars, and the public swimming pool by the ocean is very nice.
But the primary draw of Airlie Beach is what you can reach not far from there: The Whitsundays. I would recommend spending as much of your time as possible exploring the Whitsundays instead of Airlie Beach.
There are plenty of companies offering trips of different lengths and price ranges. You can choose to see the main sights such as a few snorkel spots and Whitehaven Beach during a one-day trip. Or you can spend several days on a boat cruising on the emerald blue water between the scenic islands.
Cape Hillsborough (3 days)
Hillsborough’s main attraction are the kangaroos and wallabies that come to feed on the beach at sunrise. You can see kangaroos and wallabies many places in Australia, but nothing is quite as idyllic and special as this. This will be among the highlights of any road trip itinerary for East Coast Australia!
Picture this: You find a spot in the sand under the dark starry sky. As the sun starts to rise, you see some silhouettes walking around on the beach. When the sky turns orange, and it’s light enough, the silhouettes from before become clear. They are kangaroos and wallabies walking around peacefully on the beach.
Besides the sunrise session, Cape Hillsborough is a beautiful national park with amazing hikes and splendid nature. If you have time, I recommend spending two nights here – that way you can see the sunrise twice.
If you camp at Cape Hillsborough Nature Tourist Park (not sponsored or affiliated), you’re camping almost on the beach. You only need to walk a few steps in the morning to find a spot to wait for the sunrise. By staying on the official campgrounds, you also support the area. As a bonus you’ll have frequent visits from the kangaroos and wallabies during the day when the roam around.
IMPORTANT: There is a ranger present while the animals feed to make sure they aren’t bothered. You can take pictures, but under no circumstance can you use flash, and drones are not allowed. You are also not allowed to chase or touch the animals (this should be self-explanatory, but you’d be surprised…). If the animals come to you, it’s ok, but still, don’t touch them as they are wild animals.
Read more about the best place to see kangaroos in Australia.
Hervey Bay and Fraser Island (3 days)
Fraser Island is the World’s largest sand island and the home of the purest breed of dingo’s. The dingo’s live freely on the island and you can be lucky to see them.
The nature varies greatly throughout the island. Cruising down the beach, swimming in lake McKenzie and floating down a natural lazy river, and seeing the old shipwreck are some of the amazing things to experience.
We paid around 370 USD for a full-day trip including lunch and all transportation.
To take it to the next level (literally), you can see Fraser from above with Air Fraser Island (not sponsored). We did this, and it was a unique experience that we will never forget. You fly over the shipwreck and shore and over the island to see the butterfly lake. You fly for about 15-20 minutes, and it costs 100 AUD (66 USD).
Brisbane (3 days)
Brisbane is lovely to visit for a few days to stroll by the river and visit a Koala Sanctuary. I recommend Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (not sponsored or affiliated) where you can hold a koala if you want to. Don’t worry, the rangers know what koalas don’t mind being held. There are also other animals such as kangaroos and wallabies, emu’s, plenty of different birds, dingo’s, platypuses, and crocodiles.
At bit north of Brisbane you can find Sunshine Coast, Noosa Heads and Australia Zoo. South of Brisbane is the Gold Coast, where Surfers Paradise is located.
Byron Bay (4 days)
Byron Bay is good cozy vibes, nature, surfing, and outdoor parties. When visiting Byron Bay, take some time to learn to surf in one of the many surf camps. You can also hike or drive to the lighthouse at Cape Byron and take in the views. Or you can go diving and see leopard sharks (if you’re lucky) and just hang out in town.
Byron Bay has plenty of good cafés, restaurants, and bars. I recommend breakfast at Combi, dinner at Costa Taco, a bear and live music at Beach House.
For camping I recommend staying at First Sun Holiday Park (not affiliated or sponsored). They have unpowered and powered spots and cabins if you’re not in a campervan. The facilities are nice and you’re only a few steps from the beach where you can enjoy some beautiful sunsets and watch the surfers do their thing. Since it’s in central Byron Bay, you can walk everywhere.
Blue Mountains National Park (2 days)
If you want to see the main attraction of Blue Mountains, Three Sisters, I recommend staying in Katoomba. The town itself is cute and moody with a Twin Peaks-vibe. You have plenty of options for a nice dinner or lunch if you need a break from campervan-cooked meals.
I recommend staying in Katoomba Falls Tourist Park (they don’t have a website). The campground is located next to a walking route to Three Sisters. It’s an easy walk most people should be able to do. Katoomba Falls Tourist Park is a paid campground but the walk and the Three Sisters are free of charge.
You can get to Katoomba from Sydney by train, so it’s also a great trip if you’re only visiting Sydney. If you just want to see the Three Sisters, one day is enough. Keep in mind, that the weather changes quickly in the mountains. If it’s foggy you might not be able to see the sisters, so schedule some extra time if possible.
PRO TIP: Dress well and bring waterproof clothing, good shoes, and warm layers. It gets cold in the mountains at night and during the winter.
Phillip Island (2 days)
Phillip Island is home to the World’s smallest penguin species, Little Penguins. They come to shore every night, and you can see hundreds of wild penguins running to shore at sunset.
You need to buy a ticket to see the penguin parade and you are not allowed to take pictures. But the experience is still worth it – after all, it’s for the wellbeing of the penguins. Rangers stand on the beach to make sure that the penguins aren’t disturbed.
They offer different experiences at different price ranges. We chose the cheapest option and that was perfect for us. Once you’ve finished watching on the beach, you walk on a board walk. Here, you have the opportunity to see the penguins up close so paying for the more expensive spots wasn’t a priority for us.
Melbourne (2 days)
Melbourne is street art, huge food markets, amazing coffee, and so much more. It’s possible to see all the main attractions in Melbourne in one day if you’re in a rush. But you will walk A LOT.
Must-sees for a Melbourne itinerary are Queen Victoria Market, street art on Hosier Lane, Elisabeth Street, seeing the skyline from the river, and the Alexandra Gardens.
There are plenty of great street food options in Melbourne from all World kitchens. If you’re a foodie and want and extra unique experience and have some money to spend, see if you can secure a table at Attica (not affiliated or sponsored). Go for their full set menu for the best experience.
Great Ocean Road (2 days)
Every East Coast Australia road trip must include Great Ocean Road. The Great Ocean Road is the World’s largest war memorial. It stretches over 240 kilometers during which you will pass through the stunning main attraction Twelve Apostles, London Bridge, beautiful memorials, and cozy coastal towns full of surfers and the best seafood.
We cut the drive in two by spending one night in a campground. It gave us time to really enjoy the surf vibes and stop whenever we wanted. I recommend doing this so you’re not rushing and can enjoy the time on the road more.
Canberra (1 day)
Canberra is the capitol of Australia and mainly a hub for government. We stopped in Canberra for one day on our otherwise extremely long drive from Great Ocean Road to Sydney. If you’re interested in seeing the capitol, you can add it to your list, but honestly there isn’t much to see or do in Canberra.
Sydney (7 days)
When you visit Sydney during your East Coast Australia road trip, do it in the beginning or the end. That way you can do it before you pick up your camper, or as we did, after you’ve dropped it off, and stay in a central hotel so you can walk everywhere.
Read about the top 15 best things to do in Sydney here.
There aren’t any campgrounds in central Sydney. So you’ll have to spend a lot of time on public transport to go back and forth between your campground and central Sydney if you want to camp.
You can easily spend a week in Sydney because there are so many things to do. You can go on a bridgewalk on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, see the Sydney Opera House, watch open air opera by the Botanic Gardens, sail to Manly Island for beach and surf vibes, visit Bondi Beach and see Sydney from above in the Sydney Tower eye… I could go on.
Read more:
Complete guide: how to plan the best East Coast Australia road trip
