The Queensland coastline includes some of the highlights for the whole country and, with world-class beach experiences such as 4WDing on Fraser Island, sailing the Whitsunday Islands and diving the Great Barrier Reef, it is one of the premier coastal roadtrips in the world. Throw into the mix the the hedonistic glitzy skyscraper Gold Coast, the natural phenomenons of the Daintree Rainforest and Atherton Tableland, chilled out islands like Great Keppel and Magnetic Islands, plus the very Australian quirky habit of needing each town to have its own “Big Thing” (think giant prawns, bananas, mangos etc), and you’ve got an unmissable experience
Itinerary below for a 3 week trip and 3 top tips:
- Go in winter – despite most of the Queensland coast being in the tropics, majority of people (Aussies and International) think it’s cold in June and July in Queensland. Whilst it’s certainly colder than normal, the temperatures are very mild in the south and still very much warm enough in the north. Go in winter – it’s cheaper and it’ll be a far more enjoyable experience
- Start in Brisbane or Sydney? – obviously starting in Sydney gives you more to see and includes the wow factor highlights like walking along Sydney Harbour (see the individual travel Sydney Harbour for more tips), the Blue Mountains (likewise the travel entry Train ride from Sydney to Katoomba and checking out the Blue Mountains) and wine tasting in the Hunter Valley. But these highlights are clustered around Sydney. The remainder of the New South Wales coastline between Sydney and Queensland is mainly beach towns like Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay, which are nice, but very similar to what you’ll get all along the Queensland coast and will be that bit colder in winter. It makes sense to start in Sydney if you want to see the highlights around Sydney, less so for the rest of the New South Wales coast
- Can do in 10 days, but 3 weeks better – if you wanted to smash the key highlights of Fraser Island, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, you could do this in 10 days, but it would be hectic as it’s around 2,400km / 1500miles of driving. The three weeks gives you plenty of chill out time and the opportunity to see some of the slightly more off the beaten track places like the Daintree Rainforest, Atherton Tableland and Great Keppel Island
I know there are white sand beaches all all along the Australian East Coast, and, in a country that already prides itself on its beaches, the competition is fierce. Even so, the Whitsunday Islands takes the prize for the most paradisiacal beach setting in the whole country. The Lonely Planet describes them as like emeralds scattered on aquamarine velvet – that goes part of the way to describing the beauty – you also need to throw in the sheer brightness of the whiter-than-white sand, the warm crystal clear waters and the range of corals all around
Taking time for at least a day trip so you can get in amongst the islands and sun yourself on the perfect beaches is a great experience, and one not to be missed on your East Coast adventure. But, and I regret not doing this, TOP TIP – a multi-day trip to enjoy them outside of the standard day trip would be truly magical
White sand beaches, practically no traffic, 90% natural bushland and a chilled out vibe. Very little not to like about Great Keppel Island and, whilst its not quite in the usual top lists for Queensland, its nevertheless a beautiful place to spend a couple of days
The Victorian High Country is a part of Australia that few have heard of, yet its gorgeous historic gateway towns, clear mountain air and snow in winter, wineries and gourmet food, and, of course, its stunning mountain scenery make it a magical destination. The highlight for us was climbing along the Razorback to the summit of Mount Feathertop, the second tallest mountain in the state of Victoria at 1,922m / 6,306ft and with immense views across the surrounding mountains
The hike itself starts at the carpark for the Diamantina Hut and is a there-and-back hike in total 22km / 13.5miles almost dead straight along the ridge. Overall, its a moderate difficulty hike – there are some flattish bits but with a steep bit around a third of the way in and a very steep final ascent to the top. Total elevation gain of 870m / 2850ft and the whole thing will take you up to 7 hours in total
Main tip – whilst the elevation helps to reduce the temperature quite a bit in the summer, the route is very exposed so sun screen is a must (along with enough water)
Extra tip – the whole Victorian High Country area really is a magical spot. Be sure to give yourself at least a day or two to explore around the towns of Beachworth and Bright, and with all the beautiful scenery in-between
The Blue Mountains are one of the (many) natural highlights of Australia, with their scenic lookouts over rugged sandstone cliffs, blue-tinged eucalyptus forests and sweeping canyons for some excellent bush-walks, so it is no wonder they have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The added benefit is that they are very accessible on a day trip from central Sydney, which takes 2 hours to Katoomba and includes some wonderful scenery on the way
Three top tips:
#1 If possible, limit your time in Katoomba – when getting the train, the stop you want is Katoomba which is also where many of the famous sites and activities are, and where the majority of the fellow tourist traffic is. For sure give yourself the time for Echo Point to see the Blue Mountains’ most famous site – the Three Sisters Rock Formations that stick out across the canyon and the prime photo taking spot. But see if you can head out of Katoomba to get away from the crowds. That being said, if the crowds aren’t too busy, the Skyway Gondola and Scenic Railway are great fun, especially the 2.5km / 1.5miles forest boardwalk at the foot of the railway
#2 Head to Blackheath and the Grand Canyon Walk – Blackheath is 2 stops up from Katoomba and you find the fellow tourist numbers dropping substantially. From Blackheath, take a taxi to Evans Lookout and from there its a spectacular 5km / 3miles of the Grand Canyon Walk. Will take around 3 hours and very much worth it
#3 Stay overnight – whilst you can easily check out the Blue Mountains on a day trip from Sydney, the best way to experience them is the evening and early morning before the masses of tourists arrive. Wandering around looking over the distant views of the Three Sisters in the early evening and waking up early to have some of the trails largely to yourself – magical
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most famous driving routes, with its dramatic coastline, rainforests with koalas housed in the trees, pretty seaside towns, and the eye catching 12 Apostles. As it’s only a 3 hour drive from Melbourne, part of which is taken up by the gorgeous drive along the coastline itself, this makes it the premier day trip from Melbourne and a must if staying in Victoria
Visiting is relatively straightforward as the drive along the coast is simple, as is viewing the 12 Apostles (although it can get very busy), but just one tip – watch out for the horseflies – like just about everything in Australia, they bite!
Western Australia’s southwest is primarily known for its wonderful wines around the Margaret River region, but its forests are also simply magnificent with some of the tallest trees in the world around the suitably named “Valley of the Giants”
Its certainly worth half a day to explore and the best way to do it is:
- Drive through the area – in particular on the Great Forest Trees Drive near the Shannon River
- Walk the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk – a walkway suspended 40m / 130ft high that allows you to walk through the forest canopy
- Climb the Gloucester Tree – a giant Karri tree with a 58m / 190ft viewing platform at the top, making it the second tallest tree lookout in the world. But it isn’t so much the height that is unusual. Instead, it is the 153 spikes that ring the tree and are the method for climbing it that stands out. For those even remotely scared of heights, this is a truly terrifying experience wrapped up as a family friendly activity – especially as people have to pass you by on the way up or down. Only 20% of people make it to the top lookout . . . and back down again – respect if you do
The Gloucester Tree and Treetop Walk can get a little busy (relatively), so I would suggest prioritising the Great Forest Tree Drive as there are various options to be able to stop and have a walk around with the forest largely to yourself, including a 8km Great Forest Trees Walk across the Shannon River. The drive is also in between Gloucester Tree and Treetop Walk, so you can then chose to drive to either as part of your route
One of the natural highlights in a country already blessed with world class natural scenery, the fiords of Milford Sound and its surrounding forests are simply beautiful and deserve all the accolades. A must on a visit to the South Island
New Zealand’s South Island has some of the most rugged natural beauty of anywhere in the world with world famous sites such as the fjords of Milford Sound, the Frans Joseph and Fox glaciers, and the adrenaline sports of Queenstown, yet is also super accessible by road and very compact to get around. The combination of these factors makes it one of the most appealing places for a roadtrip and I’ve listed below a great 10 day itinerary to get the best of the island
If you’re going to bungy jump, you may as well do it in style at the home of commercial bungy jumping and with some of the most sensational views you could imagine. Queenstown offers the first ever commercial bungy jump site at Kawarau Bridge with its 43m / 151ft fall towards the icy waters of the Kawarau River below; the bungy swing which may only be 47m / 154ft but swings far above Queenstown so it feels like you’re throwing yourself off 500m; and finally the big one – the Nevis at 134m / 440ft with 8 seconds of free fall and the former title holder of tallest bungy jump in the world. Package them all together and you have The Thrillogy – wonderfully terrifying . . . not for the faint hearted . . . and an unmissable experience
AJ Hackett Company is the group you need to go for
