Travelling the East Coast of Australia: Where to go, where to stay and see.
- Jocelyn
- Apr 11, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 19, 2022
Hello, all you cool cats and kittens. After seeing the two biggest cities in Aus, I'm sure you are ready to see some more. Beginning in Melbourne and ending in Cairns, the whole stretch along the coastline is around 4000km. The wet season in Tropical Northern Queensland is the months of November to April so bear that in mind. From Melbourne to Cairns, I travelled for a month, which gave me enough time to see what I wanted.
Getting around
Most travellers get the Greyhound Bus unless they rent their own vehicle. This is what I did, getting the Hop On Hop Off Pass for 90 days. You can book times throughout the day, that are best for you to travel. Some of the journeys are really long, Melbourne to Sydney was about nine hours. With long journeys, it's worth taking the night bus. It's comfy, there are wifi and charging points too. The only downside is that the aircon makes it feel like the Arctic so don't forget a jumper.
Byron Bay
The most Easterly point the county Byron Bay is a strange blend of hippy culture and commercialism. I stayed at Wake Up! the hostel which I loved because they held free yoga on the beach and fitness sessions, the rooms were spacious and they have a semi-private beach a stone's throw from the front door. It's a short walk into the centre or an even shorter bike ride on the Wake Up! bicycles. When I got to Byron all the hotels were fully booked so I actually ended up staying at an Airbnb for one night. There are some really nice ones by the beach and in the hills if you fancy a more luxurious stay. To get up to £40 off your first Airbnb booking click here. More on what to do in Byron Bay here.
The Gold Coast
A lot of people told me they found the Gold Coast sleazy, but I really enjoyed my time there so I don't know what that says about me. It's famed for its long beaches, surf and where Australian teenagers spend schoolies. Schoolies is the celebration after high school.
You have to go on a bar/club crawl. Definitely see SinCity Bedroom. You should be able to arrange this through your hostel.
SkyPoint Observation Deck: this is a nice way to see a 360-degree view of the city. Best to see at sunset.
There are amusement parks around the area too like Wet’n’Wild, Movie World and Dreamworld.
Broadbeach is the main beach, it actually reminded me a lot of Miami beach. There are some market stalls around the area which are nice to roam around.
Brisbane
This is Australia's third-largest city, known for its perfect hot weather all year round. I loved Brisbane. The city skyscrapers glitter in the sun around the Brisbane River, which flows through the middle of the city. It's a spectacular city with kind and helpful locals.
Australia Zoo: This is the legendary Steve Irwin's Zoo. His family now look after his legacy and are sometimes seen at the zoo. Conservation is at the heart of the zoo and you can feel that when you walk around and see the animals. To get there you get a train from Brisbane Central station to Beerwah. The Zoo's courtesy coach will then pick you up and take you directly to the zoo. The journey takes two hours and forty minutes. Whilst at the zoo you must see the crocodile show. You get to see these giant creatures eat their lunch!
Let Your Hair Down Gurl: There's a reason why the city is nicknamed Brisvegas, there is so much in terms of nightlife and bars. Check out the Valley for the best clubs. If you want a fancy-schmancy night out in the city Eagle Street Pier has some cool places.
Noosa
I stayed at Nomads. I'd recommend Nomads, the hostel had a swimming pool and large rooms. At Noosa you can see:
Noosa Fairy Pools: some rock pools by the National Park.
The National Park: this is close to Nomads Hostel and is a very easy walk. You get up to an open viewing area and you can see the whole town.
Noosa Main Beach: Hastings street, lines the walk up to the beach. It felt like the south of France, not Australia with boutiques and the white decor of every shop.
The Big Pineapple: there is a series of 'big' things in Australia. If you pass a gigantic pineapple, you now know what it is.
From Noosa, you can head to Fraser Island.
Fraser Island is the biggest sand island in the world. I had the best time here and would say anyone that goes to Australia has to see it. It's such a unique place, with rock pools, beaches and lakes. I did the Nomads Fraser Island Tour for 3 days and 2 nights. Read about my Fraser Island tour here.
Rainbow Beach
I was at the rainbow beach for one night. It's another beach town along the east coast with not too much to do. There's the beach, which has the pretty rainbow steps and you can also go surfing on the sand dunes.
The Town of 1770
I stayed at a really cute hostel called Backpackers@1770. There is very little to do here other than a few shops in the town and the beach but it helps break down the journey to Airlie Beach.
Airlie Beach/ Whitsundays
Airlie beach is where you get picked up from to sail the Whitsundays. At Airlie, there are a few parties going on and nice beaches. I did the Apollo Sailing 3 Day / 2 Night Whitsunday Sailing Adventure. The Whitsundays are a collection of islands over the great barrier reef. Genuinely one of the best things I've done in my life. I love being on the water and being able to live on a sailing boat with friends, snorkelling during the day and watching the stars at night was my version of paradise. Find out what else the tour involves on my Whitsundays Blog.
Magnetic Island
Next stop is Magnetic Island. I stayed here for three nights at Base Hostel. The rooms were in little huts practically on the beach and there's something going on every night which made it such a fun place to stay. The island has so many beautiful beaches and Koalas! You can explore by hiring a fun barbie car too (my fav part). Find out where to go on Maggie Island here!
Cairns
Two baked beans were travelling around Australia, do you know where they ended up? Cairns. ahahahah. And this where you'll finish your east coast journey. Gilligans is the renowned best party hostel along the whole coast. It is pretty wild, I saw a wrestling match in a jelly pit and held a baby crocodile whilst I was there but I stayed down the road at Bounce Hostel, which was quieter and had a really nice bar/communal area.
Whilst here you can't give up the opportunity to dive in the Great Barrier Reef! Even if you have never dived before you can do an introductory dive. I did mine with Island Diver. The boat over to the dive area can be very choppy so do your best to not get too trollied the night before. Let's just say over 80% of the boat felt a bit seasick. Going into the ocean feels like going into a giant bath because the water is so warm. Not what I was used to in the UK. The sea life is amazing and with the rate of deterioration of the reef now is the time to see it.
I also did two tours here:
1. Uncle Brians - 1 Day Fun, Falls and Forest: this is one of the best tours I've done. The guides are so enthusiastic and fun. They've been in the job for many many years so always have some interesting tales to tell. On the tour, you'll get to see the Daintree rainforest which is the oldest rainforest in the world. You also see amazing waterfalls including Milla Milla, which is where the Herbal Essences ads were filmed and Peter Andre's Mysterious Girl music video was shot. Be warned the tour guide will make you pose for hair flicks in the water. You also get to swim in a volcano crater and see a platypus if you are lucky.
On this tour, you get to visit Port Douglas, beaches, swim in some streams and do a Crocodile River Cruise!
Whilst in Cairns I'd recommend nights out at Gilligans, drinks at P.J.O'Brien's Irish Pub and chilling at the lagoon.
There's a reason why the East Coast is the most travelled part of the country and one of the most popular backpacking trails in the world. It's beautiful, fun and wild. There is so much to do and see and you'll make some friends along the way that you'll keep bumping into. If you like nature, the ocean and the beach the East Coast is waiting for you.
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