The well renowned East Coast of Australia has so much to offer. With perfect locations for kayak experiences, hiking, camping and more, it is no surprise that it is one of the world’s best travel destinations.
The legendary East Coast of Australia is every backpacker’s heaven with endless stunning coastlines, surfing, skydiving, and city exploring.
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This East Coast Australia 2 week Itinerary includes all the must-see spots in the East Coast of Australia for the adventurous backpackers to even the more chilled-out travelers.
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When is the best time to visit Australia’s East Coast?
Backpacking East Coast Australia
Summer runs from December until February, winter runs from June through until August. With the East Coast of Australia being so vast, the weather you might experience entirely depends on the area you’re visiting.
The Highlights of the East Coast, Australia
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Melbourne: The most southern city on the East Coast is the vibrant, hipster city of Melbourne. It is a cultural center with cool street scenes and trendy hangouts; Melbourne has to be one of the most colorful and artistic cities in Australia.
Sydney: Few cities are as captivating than the Capital of New South Wales, Sydney. Surrounded by the roaring Pacific Ocean and hundreds of stunning beaches. It has one of the world’s most beautiful harbors, the world-famous Sydney Opera House and year-round sunshine. Read more about the romantic sydney options.
Blue Mountains: One of the most breathtaking natural attractions on the East Coast, the scenic Blue Mountains are easily accessible, only 2 hours drive from Sydney. They offer beautiful views of waterfalls, the Three Sisters, mysterious caves and you can even explore the fascinating aboriginal culture, which surrounds the Blue Mountains.
Port Macquarie: You will never be lost for something to do in Port Macquarie with great beaches, brilliant weather plenty of cutesy seaside cafes and restaurants. The area is surrounded by rainforest, where you can enjoy trekking, coastal walks and even enjoy some dolphin and whale watching.
Coffs Harbour: Here you can experience the subtropical climate, pristinely clean, quiet beaches of Coffs Harbour, and the exotic rainforest. Coffs Harbour is a popular spot for coastal skydiving, for travelers seeking the ultimate thrill.
Byron Bay: The hippie surf town is backpackers paradise with its chilled-out vibe, cliff-top sunset walks, quaint weekend markets, and fun water activities that makes Byron Bay the ultimate place to lay back and enjoy the beach town.
Gold Coast: With picture-perfect beaches and breathtaking skyscrapers, Gold Coast is famous for Surfers Paradise and the chic area of Broadbeach where international surfers gather to ride the waves.
Brisbane: The heart of Australia’s sunshine state, you can enjoy subtropical climate throughout the year. You can cruise along the river, explore the parklands, botanical gardens, museums and bars in Australia’s 3rd largest city.
Sunshine Coast: With 60 miles of golden sandy beaches, perfectly warm water, Sunshine Coast is the ideal place to unwind and kick back.
Noosa Heads: With beautiful natural coastal settings, here you can take part in trekking through Noosa National Park and enjoy the many upscale cafes, restaurants, and boutiques.
Fraser Islands: The most beautiful, must see island of Australia, Fraser Islands is a complete paradise, the crystal clear waters and white sand will blow your mind. Lake Mckenzie is one spot you must experience for yourself!
Rockhampton: The inland heart of Country Queensland, Rockhampton is a unique place with Victorian architecture, fantastic for beef-eating foodies for it being Australia’s beef capital and a great place to get a change from the coastal scenery.
Airlie Beach: Known to be the gateway to the Whitsundays Islands. You can chill out by Airlie Beach Lagoon, stroll along the Saturday morning farmers market, and enjoy the many water-based activities on offer.
Mission Beach: A small sleepy town with amazing natural scenery, here you have the Great Barrier Reef and the tropical rainforest at your doorstep.
Cairns: Cairns is the biggest city in the North of Australia and it’s the perfect getaway to get to the Great Barrier Reef, it’s one of the most famous reefs in the entire world. A pleasant town, with plenty of spots to see and fun things to do from exploring dramatic Barron Falls to taking the Skyrail Train over the rainforest.
Palm Cove: A stylish, tropical town is known for its palm trees, which line the esplanade, making it a picture-perfect laid-back beachfront spot.
Port Douglas: A chic beach resort town where you can snorkel the pristine waters, discover the picturesque Daintree rainforest and gawk at the yachts of the rich and famous in Reef Marina.
Cape Tribulation: A secluded eco-tourism spot, here you can take part in jungle zip-lining, dip in the ocean and crack open a beer in one of the plenty of backpacker bars and celebrate the completed road trip! The end of the road marks this place as the final stop of the East Coast road trip, beyond this point lays an unbeaten path and the distant Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal.
How to Travel Around Australia’s East Coast
Australia East Coast Itinerary
By car: One of the most popular ways to travel the East Coast of Australia is by driving. A road trip on the East Coast of Australia is one of the best ways to freely explore and experience the amazing Eastern coastline. You can either rent a car for your East Coast Australia road trip or you might want to save your Australian dollars in the long run and buy your own second-hand car. There are many places to explore in Australia, so make sure to read this post about the best Australia road-trip itinerary.
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By flight: If you have limited time, flying is a quick and swift option to get around the East Coast of Australia. This may not be the cheapest option, but Kayak offers you a variety of different flight options up for comparison.
Options for Accommodation on the East Coast
There are various budget options for backpackers exploring the East Coast of Australia from fun and rowdy hostels to more remote and relaxed camping options.
Hostels East Coast Australia
To fully experience backpacking Australia’s East Coast, hostels are the best and most fun option. You can use websites like Booking.com to find the best hostels in the area you plan to visit on the East Coast.
Camping East Coast Australia
Camping the East Coast of Australia can be incredibly fun! It is by far the cheaper option, just make sure to bring a trusty tent and sleeping bag with you so you can set up camp anywhere along your East Coast road trip.
