Australia’s East Coast is one of the most popular backpacking routes there is. There are a huge number of travellers on this route at any one time, which makes it extremely social. I decided to head down the coast, starting in Cairns and ending in Sydney. Some people decide to do it the other way round, and it doesn’t really make a difference, it is about a 50:50 split of people going each way. The backpacker scene is heavily party-focused, so choose your hostels wisely depending on how much of this you want to be involved in!
I have outlined a route which takes 26 days or 3.5 weeks. It is possible to do the East Coast of Australia in less time than that, and I have added a section at the end to help you decide how to cut down the days, which places you can skip, and how to make the most of your time. As many of the places on the East Coast are very similar, you won't miss out too much by skipping a stop. This route is completely doable using only public transport and the Greyhound Australia bus network - more on that in the Logistics section.
I hope you find this helpful in planning your East Coast adventure - I have included information on logistics and planning, an itinerary, a detailed section on each location, including things to do and the best places to stay, and information on budgeting for this trip.
Contents
Logistics: Making Bookings and Moving Around
The East Coast of Australia is served by the Greyhound Australia bus network, and this is how pretty much every backpacker gets around. They sell bus passes spanning 15 or 30 days which allow you unlimited travel between all stops during that time, you just have to book your buses on your account. The 15 day bus pass is AUD$369 (£190), and the 30 day bus pass is AUD$449 (£230). The buses are nothing special, but stop plenty of times for toilet breaks and food.
Coogee Beach, Sydney
You will need to book your buses in advance, at least 2 months before your travel date, and even earlier in the high season (Australian summer), as there are usually only 2 buses per day between destinations, and they sell out fast because everyone is doing the same route.
The same goes for booking hostels, tours, and activities. This needs to be done at least 2 months in advance as well to ensure you get your first choice of accommodation and tour operators. Unfortunately this doesn’t allow for much flexibility, but my guide below will help you decide which places to go and how long to stay there so you make the most of it.
Curtain Fig Tree, Cairns
I booked my entire East Coast trip through Happy Travels, who saved me the stress of choosing hostels, booked me on my tours, and bought my bus pass. It did not end up being any more expensive than doing it all myself, so I highly recommend doing this, especially if you don’t have time to sit and plan/book it all. I didn’t as I was full swing into my trip already, so these guys saved me!
Itinerary Overview
This is a brief overview of your East Coast Itinerary:
Days 1 - 4: Cairns
Days 5 - 8: Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays
Days 9 - 14 Rainbow Beach and K’Gari (Fraser Island)
Days 15 - 17 Noosa
Days 18 - 19 Brisbane
Days 20 - 22 Byron Bay
Days 23 - 26 Sydney
Cairns
The nature around Cairns is beautiful, and you will need a good 3 days to explore it all. I recommend staying 4 nights in Cairns.
Josephine Falls, Cairns
Things to Do
Cape Tribulation Day Trip
Cape Tribulation is north of Cairns, and is home to the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest rainforest in the world. I booked a tour of Cape Tribulation through Uncle Brian’s and this is an absolute must do. The tour is exclusively backpackers so is fun, full of energy, and really engaging. I had such a good time on this trip. We drove along the road from Cairns, stopped at some stunning viewpoints, swam in the middle of the jungle and had a go on the rope swing, walked through the rainforest, and had a little beach walk too. One of the viewpoints is world famous - it’s the only place in the world where you can see two UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef) in one view. And it was beautiful! The tour includes everything, from pickups and drop offs to your hostel in Cairns, to transport and food.
Waterfalls Tour
This is another must do in Cairns. I booked through Cairns Adventure Group, but Uncle Brian’s also runs the same tour. Both will be incredible. It was a lot of fun, we swam in lakes, visited some famous waterfalls including Millaa Millaa (the Herbal Essences one) and Josephine Falls, which has a natural water slide, and swam at the Babinda Boulders. This was another cool spot with giant rocks in the river; there are various viewpoints and a fun swimming place where you can jump off the rocks. We also stopped at the Curtain Fig Tree which was very impressive.
Millaa Millaa Falls
Snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the main attraction of Cairns, and there are literally hundreds of boats that head out there every day to take you diving and snorkelling to see the incredible coral and wildlife. I went on a snorkelling day tour through Ocean Spirit, but there are so many options that it doesn’t really matter who you go with! We sailed about 2 hours to Michaelmas Cay, which is essentially just a sandbar in the middle of the ocean. We got shuttled to the beach and headed into the water. It was the most unbelievable snorkelling I’ve ever done, with such vibrant corals and fish. Please don’t touch the corals and don’t chase fish! We got lunch on board, as well as lots of snacks and drinks. There was an option to go on a semi-sub (glass-bottom boat) to get another view, as well as scuba diving if you’re certified. I wasn’t at this point, but wish I had been! The sail back to Cairns was very peaceful, we got fruit and drinks and everyone was out on deck sunbathing. I highly recommend doing this trip!
Michaelmas Cay
Where to Stay
I stayed at Gilligan’s in Cairns, and I honestly would not recommend it. It is the biggest party hostel in Australia, and so is very loud, dirty, and chaotic. The events are also heavily sexist and I did not feel comfortable there at all. Moreover, if you are starting your East Coast adventure in Cairns, you won’t know as many people in Gilligan’s, where so many people are ending their trip with a huge group of friends. It makes it hard to find a good group to go out with. I would recommend staying somewhere else and then heading to Gilligan’s bar and club if you want a night out. I have friends who stayed at Bounce and some of the Mad Monkey hostels (specifically Mad Monkey Waterfront), and had a much better experience.
Babinda Boulders
Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays
The bus ride to Arlie Beach from Cairns is about 5 hours. Try and get the earlier one so you have enough time to prepare for the Whitsundays trip if you’re heading out on one.
Things to Do
Whitsundays Sailing Trip
Airlie Beach is a small beachside town with some nice shops and restaurants, but is the gateway to the Whitsundays, so everyone stops here for a night before heading out on their boat. Most people do a 3 day, 2 night trip on one of the many boats that head out there, but you can also do a day trip to see the highlights, and honestly this is a great option if you are short on time. I went with ProSail on their 3 day trip and had a great experience. It was a 30 person boat, all backpackers, and was a lot of fun.
Whitehaven Beach
The main stop was the famous Whitehaven Beach, we had two snorkelling spots, and sailed around the islands. If you’re there during the summer, you will have to wear stinger suits in the water, but it’s not a problem - the boat provides these. There was a lot of time on the boat which was great for meeting people and enjoying the views. We got incredible food on board which catered so well for vegans and vegetarians. The bunks were all downstairs - it was a little tight for space but comfortable enough. There were two showers and toilets and it was all kept very clean. The evenings were a lot of fun - we anchored in a very sheltered bay and everyone was sitting out on deck under the stars. It was so calm at night we barely felt any rocking, and this is a statement considering we were there during Cyclone Jasper and just outside the bay was some very rough ocean!
You only need one night either side of your Whitsundays trip in Airlie beach, which will bring you to 4 nights total, including the tour. The night you get back, there will usually be an afterparty which is a lot of fun. Most people leave the day after as there isn’t much to do in Airlie Beach itself. The price of this tour is AUD$869 (approx. £450).
Skydiving
Airlie Beach is one of the most popular places to skydive in Australia because you have a bird’s eye view of the Great Barrier Reef during your dive, and then you land on the beach. Skydive Australia is the main company people book with, and I went with them in Noosa. It was a very professional operation and I highly recommend them.
Where to Stay
Most people stay at Nomads. This is not the nicest hostel in the world, but it is functional and very social because everyone is there. It is also right next to the places that host all the afterparties and nights out.
Rainbow Beach and K’Gari (Fraser Island)
From Airlie Beach you can get a 17 hour night bus (it’s not fun but it gets the job done!) to Rainbow Beach. Rainbow Beach itself is a very small town but is the gateway to K’Gari, and all the tours start from there. Including the tour, you will want to stay 4 nights in Rainbow Beach, because you’ll want a good shower and clean up before you leave!
Things to Do
K’Gari Tour
I did my K’Gari tour with Pippies Beachouse and highly recommend them. It was a very well organised trip with good camping facilities and it was a lot of fun. It is backpacker oriented so you’re guaranteed to be with young people. The 3 day 2 night tour costs $569 (approx. £294), or $629 (approx. £325) including 2 nights accommodation in the Pippies Hostel the night before and after the tour.
You get the opportunity to drive the 4 wheel drive cars on the beaches, and this is the main way to get around the island. You have to have a driving licence for this. When you sign onto the trip, make sure you say that you do want to drive. This means you’ll be put in the car without the guide (who drives that car the whole time - it is filled with people who either can’t or don’t want to drive). You swap drivers very often so you won’t be behind the wheel for very long at a time, and your guide will give you plenty of guidance because driving on sand isn’t easy! If you’re not confident, chat with tour group and your guide who will tell you which drives will be the easiest.
Lake Mackenzie
You’ll be split into cars automatically, each seating 8 people, and I was under the impression that Pippies splits you with intention. Everyone in my car was a solo traveller and we were all around the same age, so it was a lot of fun. Other cars were all couples and small groups of friends.
While the itinerary will change from group to group, we started day 1 at Lake Mackenzie for a swim in the crystal clear water and some time on the beach. It was beautiful. We drove to camp, got settled, and then spent the evening on a sand blow for sunset near the campsite which was great. We were all getting to know each other, playing football, and sand boarding.
Day 2 started by visiting the Maheno Shipwreck, then we headed to Eli Creek. This is a really cool freshwater lazy river that you can go down in donuts, which was a lot of fun. Our guide set up a beach volleyball net between two of the cars and we spent a while playing on the beach. We visited the Champagne Pools for a swim in the afternoon - it was a stunning location with great views of the island.
Maheno Shipwreck
Day 3 was the last day, and we visited lake Wabi. None of us particularly enjoyed this visit because it was a long (40 minute) and hot hike to a small lake that was a bit green, warm, and wasn’t refreshing! But the hike takes you to sand dunes which are very pretty, and it’s nice to chat to everyone on the lake shore. We had lunch and then took the ferry back to Rainbow Beach.
Lake Wabi
The campsite consists of a kitchen/dining area and then all the tents lined up under a giant tarp. They are two person tents and already set up for you. It’s very hot in the tents so be prepared to sweat at night, especially if you’re there in the summer. There are nice shower and toilet blocks on the island, and they are free, which is not the case for all of the tour operators on K’Gari. Each group takes turns cooking and cleaning, and the food is very decent. Pull your weight though! There’s a campfire area and a ‘rave cave’ (essentially a glorified tent with a temperamental speaker) where people go in the evenings. It is a great vibe though because no one has any phone service so everyone is very social.
The Pippies Camp
Rainbow Beach and the Rainbow Steps
If you have time either side of your tour, head to the beach and stop by the famous rainbow steps for a photo. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the hostels in the town. You can swim in the ocean here even in Stinger Season (summer), which is great.
Where to Stay
There are two hostels in Rainbow Beach, and, having stayed at both, I recommend staying at Pippies Hostel, even if you aren’t doing the tour with them. Freedom Hostel is next door and it’s not as nice. A lot of the dorms don’t have air conditioning and it’s not as clean. They do have a good happy hour and social area, though, so head over for the social side of it!
Noosa
Noosa is a 2 hour bus ride away from Rainbow Beach and the bus leaves right outside the Pippies Hostel. I recommend staying 2 nights in Noosa. While it is lovely, it's not a big town and there’s not that much going on, but stay longer if you want to rest and explore a bit of the surroundings.
Things to Do
Skydive
I did my skydive in Noosa. If you had told me even a month before that I would be jumping out of a plane, I would have laughed at you, but I decided to push myself and do something scary. It was absolutely terrifying and I don’t think I’ll do it again, but the views were great and the beach landing was very cool. Skydive Australia and my instructor were really good at making me feel comfortable too! It cost AUD$339 (approx. £175) for the skydive and AUD$179 (approx. £93) for the photo and video - they got me there because without photo evidence no one would have believed me! Not cheap but worth it for the reaction from my friends and family!
Walk the Coastal Path to see the Fairy Pools
The Fairy Pools are the main attraction in Noosa. While I think they might be a little overrated, make the most of them by heading there during low tide or sunrise, so that you can swim in them and they’re not too busy. The Fairy Pools are located about a 40 minute walk along the coastal path from Noosa, and the path itself is very picturesque with great views of the coastline. Go past the Fairy Pools to Hell’s Gate for what I thought were the best views. The path continues beyond that if you’re up for more.
Fairy Pools
Rent a Boat on the River
Noosa has great boat rentals that you can organise for groups of up to 12 people. You can even get boats with BBQs and take them out for an afternoon. You don’t even need a boat licence to do this!
Beaches and Surfing
There are several beaches in Noosa, so there is no shortage of space. Surf lessons are very popular, and there are some beginner areas as well as more advanced waves.
Explore the Town and Shop
Noosa has no shortage of beach shops, cute cafes, and restaurants. While it is expensive, it’s a lot of fun to walk down the streets and window shop.
The Noosa Everglades
If you have more time, a lot of people head out on a day trip to the Noosa Everglades. You spend the day kayaking and exploring the wilderness out there and it is really beautiful, with a lot of wildlife. It’s a long day though, and can get very hot, so be prepared.
Bingo at Nomads Hostel
Once a week, Nomads Hostel hosts Dirty Disco Bingo. Every backpacker in town is there, and it is a great night out.
Where to Stay
Bounce Noosa is easily one of the nicest hostels I have ever stayed in. The place looks like a resort. It is spotlessly clean, has a pool (with glass walls), modern facilities, bar and kitchen, and such nice rooms. I cannot recommend it enough. It is on the pricier side so look at Noosa Flashpackers if you want something cheaper. But Bounce is honestly worth the splash (especially if you’ve just come off K’Gari)!
The bus from Noosa to Brisbane is also very short, only 2 hours. I only recommend staying one night in Brisbane as there isn’t that much to see and do unless you head to Moreton Island.
Things to Do
Walk along the River
The Brisbane River has a lovely riverside walkway that lets you take in the city. It’s equally as good in the day as it is at nighttime when the buildings and bridges are all lit up.
Visit Felons
Felons is a brewery on the river which has a really great vibe and is a huge hangout spot for backpackers and locals alike.
Mt Coot-Tha
Go up to the top of Mt Coot-Tha to get panoramic views over the city. I always like having a view like this when I get to a new city, and this is the best you’re going to get!
The view from Mt Coot-Tha
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum has really good exhibitions of Aboriginal and Pacific Islander art, and is free to enter. I highly recommend having a look and learning more about Australian history. It is also right next to the famous Brisbane sign and a riverside park.
Where to Stay
Bunk Hostel is the place to stay in Brisbane. It is very central and has good facilities. It’s not the most social, but I find that is always the case with big city hostels. Needless to say, almost everyone you meet on the East Coast will be staying there!
Byron Bay
Byron Bay is a bit like Noosa but more laid-back and has a much younger crowd. You can do everything there in 2 days though, so I wouldn't recommend more than 2 nights here unless you want more beach time.
Things to Do
Visit Cape Byron Lighthouse
The Cape Byron Lighthouse is the landmark of Byron Bay. It’s possible to walk to the lighthouse from the centre of town along the coastal path. It’s a very pretty walk with great views of the ocean, surfers, and you might catch some dolphins if you’re lucky. You will walk past the Easternmost point of the Australian mainland which is pretty cool. There is a sign to mark it. The trail keeps going beyond the lighthouse, and rewards you with a quieter walk and even more stunning views. The lighthouse gets pretty busy at sunset but sunrise is a perfect time to visit too - much quieter and a perfect view east.
Dolphin Kayaking
Byron Bay is famous for its dolphin kayaking. Most of these tours go out at sunrise or just after for calmer seas and the best chance of spotting dolphins.
Surfing
Byron Bay is also known for its surfing, and has plenty of beginner spots as well as more advanced waves. I took a beginner lesson with Black Dog Surfing and loved it. The instructors were great - really patient with us and full of encouragement. I highly recommend them, but there are plenty of surf schools in the town to choose from.
Piano Bar
Piano Bar is a very popular nightlife spot for backpackers in Byron Bay. It has two grand pianos in the middle of the bar, and they play fun music all night. It’s a great vibe in there!
Where to Stay
Most backpackers stay at Aquarius Hostel which makes it very social. It has a bar and pool and is in a pretty good location. The YHA isn’t far from it, and I’ve also heard good things about that hostel.
Sydney
You could easily spend a week in Sydney and the surrounding areas, but I recommend 4 days to get the most out of the city and add a day trip to the Blue Mountains.
Things to Do
Sunrise Kayak in the Sydney Harbour
For a great overview of Sydney’s main landmarks, start early with a sunrise kayak trip in the Sydney Harbour. I went with Sydney by Kayak and had a great experience. They gave us a hot drink for the trip (dairy free milks were an option!), and we set off in the dark to our first viewpoint of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House where we watched the sun rise. They were great at taking photos of everyone, and then we paddled towards the bridge and under it to get a better view of the Opera House. It was a beautiful morning light. It wasn’t that much kayaking, more looking at the sights, but it was a fun trip. Have some breakfast and head to the Opera House on foot after your trip before the crowds get there.
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
The Bondi to Coogee coastal walk is a very popular coastal walk and will be very busy but it has great views and takes you past several beaches. I recommend going at sunrise again because it will be much less crowded and more enjoyable. The walk actually goes beyond Coogee beach so you can keep going if you want, or just stop and enjoy the beach. You can take a bus from Coogee back to Bondi and vice versa if you don’t want to walk back.
Manly to Spit Coastal Walk
The Manly to Spit coastal walk is also stunning and much less crowded than Bondi to Coogee. You can take the ferry from Sydney to Manly and then walk back along the coastal path. Manly is worth visiting in itself. We saw maybe 10 other people on this trail, so I highly recommend it if you want something less busy than around Bondi. There are lots of little secluded beaches along the path to stop at too. At Spit, you can take a bus back to the centre of Sydney, or keep walking!
Day Trip to the Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains are probably the most famous day trip from Sydney, and the crowds tell you the same. But it is easy to get there with a train from Sydney in about 2 hours. You can see the Three Sisters very easily from one of the main viewpoints, but there are other trails that I would recommend doing as well. My favourite was the South Lawson waterfalls circuit, which takes you past 5 major and two smaller waterfalls over a short distance. It only took around 1.5 hours to walk the whole trail and it was very quiet - we barely saw any other hikers.
Wentworth Falls is also a great one to visit. It is a little busier at the top of the falls, but not everyone makes the journey down to the bottom. It’s a steep climb down but you are rewarded with great views of the mountains and the waterfalls on the way down and at the bottom. You can even go under one of the smaller falls at the bottom too. It was definitely worth it to head down, despite the climb up afterwards!
Day Trip to Royal National Park
Royal National Park is not easy to get to without a car, but if you have access to one, I highly recommend this as a day trip. Drive approximately 2 hours to Wattamolla and park in the parking lot there. It’s AUD$12 per car to enter. Walk the coastal path from Wattamolla to Eagle Rock to see some incredible rock formations and waterfalls. It’s absolutely beautiful and much less busy than any trail in Sydney.
Eagle Rock
The path is very easy, pretty much flat the whole way and a walkway for most of it, so you don’t need hiking shoes. Along the pathway, near Currancurrang Gulley on maps, there is a very overgrown path to one of the most secluded waterfalls I’ve ever seen. It’s not signposted and that is definitely a good thing! We had the place to ourselves and it was gorgeous. There is another little waterfall by Eagle Rock where you can swim with a view of the rock and the ocean. The path keeps going beyond Eagle Rock, so if you have more time, then definitely explore more!
Where to Stay
Stay at Wake Up Sydney. Again, this is one of the most popular hostels in Sydney, so almost everyone you’ve met along the East Coast will be there. You definitely want to do this for the social aspect, as I find city hostels are notoriously difficult to meet people in!
Budget
My daily average for the East Coast of Australia was £114 over 20 days. This included a skydive, which obviously raised the spend, so without that, it would have been £100/day. Activities were definitely the biggest category. The Whitsundays and K’Gari tours, plus a tour in Cairns every day, were a large chunk, so you do have to budget a bit more for that. Needless to say, this was quite a rushed and packed schedule, so it is definitely doable for less if you spend more time in each place and aren’t packing every day with activities.
I was eating for around £7/day for 3 meals. I cooked basically everything in hostel kitchens and limited alcohol consumption as alcohol in Australia is very expensive. Hostels average between £25 and £50 per night, but don’t expect quality for what you’re paying! The nicest one was undoubtedly Bounce in Noosa, but that was also the most expensive. The others were nowhere near as nice.
Start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Have less time? How to shorten this itinerary
If you have less time to do your East Coast trip, here is what I recommend to see the highlights. This will obviously also depend on what you enjoy doing, so make sure you know what the main attractions of each town are.
Skip Brisbane. While the city has a few nice things to do, if you are short for time, you won’t be missing too much if you skip the city and go straight through from Noosa to Byron Bay.
Choose one from either Noosa or Byron Bay. These two towns are very similar and both have limited things to do, each revolving around coastal walks, surfing, and beach time. It depends what kind of vibe you are after. I preferred Noosa, but a lot of people I met said Byron Bay was their favourite stop. If you really need to, you can actually skip both, because most things to do in each place could be done elsewhere, but they are still good stops between K’Gari and Sydney.
Do a day trip to the Whitsundays. While the 3 day sailing adventure on the Whitsundays was a good experience, I think you would be able to see the highlights of the Whitsunday islands by doing a day trip out there. This would also save you a lot of money. The K’Gari trip was much more fun than the Whitsundays, and everyone I met thought the same. This would mean you only need 2 nights in Airlie Beach.
I hope this provides a good guide to backpacking Australia’s East Coast. It is an adaptable itinerary to suit whatever time frame you have, but leads you to the best parts of the route. Australia has some incredible wilderness; please keep it that way. Leave only your footprints behind :)
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