This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2021. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
There’s no road trip more iconic in Australia than the drive up the East Coast — a sun-soaked drive that feels like one endless summer adventure.
I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the East Coast of Australia — from weekend getaways near Sydney to longer adventures along the New South Wales and Queensland coastlines.
Over a few different trips, my husband and I have gradually made our way along this incredible stretch of coastline, stopping at beach towns, wine regions, and rainforest escapes along the way.
The route between Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia’s most iconic road trips. It’s easy to see why — it combines postcard-perfect beaches, wildlife encounters, and charming regional towns with plenty of chances to swim, hike, and sip wine with a view.
Whether you start from Sydney and head north, or begin in Queensland and make your way south, this road trip is all about taking it slow and soaking up the best of Australia’s east coast lifestyle.
Here’s my suggested itinerary for a Sydney to Great Barrier Reef road trip — based on the places I’ve loved the most.
Quick summary:
Drive Australia’s stunning East Coast from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef with this road trip itinerary. I’ve rounded up my favourite stops, places to stay, and top experiences along the way.
Recommended hotels:
🏨 Sydney: The Old Clare Hotel – Boutique heritage hotel in Chippendale with rooftop pool and city views.
🏨 Central Coast: Oaks Waterfront Suites – Spacious rooms and a perfect foreshore location in The Entrance.
🏨 Hunter Valley: Leisure Inn Pokolbin Hill – Set among vineyards with easy access to nearby cellar doors.
🏨 Port Macquarie: Mantra The Observatory – Beachfront comfort with ocean views across from Town Beach.
🏨 Coffs Harbour: BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort – Beachfront resort surrounded by tropical gardens and pools.
🏨 Byron Bay: The Lord Byron – Relaxed and stylish stay with pool and free bikes near town.
🏨 Gold Coast: Meriton Suites Broadbeach – Spacious suites close to the beach, dining, and tram stops.
🏨 Brisbane: The Constance Hotel – Colourful boutique hotel in Fortitude Valley with a rooftop bar.
🏨 Fraser Island (K’gari): Kingfisher Bay Resort – Eco-resort on the bay and the best base for exploring K’gari.
Australia East Coast road trip itinerary:
- Sydney (4-5 nights)
- Central Coast (1-2 nights)
- Hunter Valley (1-2 nights)
- Port Macquarie (1-2 nights)
- Coffs Harbour (1-2 nights)
- Byron Bay (2-3 nights)
- Gold Coast (2-3 nights)
- Brisbane (3-4 nights)
- Fraser Island (2-3 nights)
- Great Barrier Reef (1-2 nights)
How long will this itinerary take?
The full journey from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef covers a lot of ground. If you’re wondering how long it takes to drive from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef, know that you’re looking at over 1,200 kilometres of coastline.
I’d recommend allowing around three weeks to complete the full route at a relaxed pace, with plenty of time to explore each stop.
If you’re short on time, you could easily break up the itinerary into smaller sections. For example, spend 1-2 weeks on a Sydney to Brisbane road trip. You could also do a shorter Queensland coastal drive for a Brisbane to Great Barrier Reef road trip.
However you plan it, give yourself the flexibility to take detours, enjoy the scenery, and linger longer in the places that surprise you most — that’s where the real magic of an Australian road trip happens.
Where to stop on Australia’s East Coast:
Sydney
There’s really no better place to start an East Coast adventure than Sydney. I’ve lived here for years, and no matter how often I see it, the city still manages to impress me every time I get a glimpse of the Harbour Bridge or spend a lazy afternoon by the beach.
If it’s your first visit, spend at least a few days soaking up the city’s highlights. Walk around Circular Quay and The Rocks to admire the harbour views, catch the ferry to Manly or Taronga Zoo, and stroll from Bondi to Coogee for one of the most beautiful coastal walks in Australia. I love heading up to Mrs Macquarie’s Chair at sunset — it’s one of the best spots to watch the light fade over the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
And for food lovers, make time to explore the café culture in suburbs like Surry Hills, Newtown — they’re some of the best spots to eat in the city.
🏨 Where to stay in Sydney: For a stylish city break, I love The Old Clare Hotel in Chippendale. It has easy access to public transport and plenty of great dining options nearby.
It’s also easy to plan some day trips from Sydney if you have more time. You could head west to the Blue Mountains for dramatic clifftop views and waterfalls, or south to venture over the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge.
👉 Read more: Best day trips from Sydney: Top tours for nature, wine & adventure lovers
Central Coast
The Entrance on the NSW Central Coast is a place I’ve been many times, as my husband’s family live in the area, but I always enjoy visiting this coastal holiday destination. Walking along the foreshore at The Entrance with the fresh sea breeze in my hair and a gelato in hand is just a perfect way to spend a sunny day on the coast, in my opinion.
🏨 Where to stay on the Central Coast: Last time we visited, we stayed overnight at Oaks Waterfront Suites in The Entrance. I definitely recommend upgrading to an Ocean View Room! This hotel had a comfortable and spacious room layout and the waterfront location makes it super easy to walk around town.
I would recommend getting a deliciously healthy brunch at Neighbours in Long Jetty, visiting the Norah Head Lighthouse, taking some walks along the foreshore, and swimming in The Entrance Ocean Baths. If you’re looking for a dinner suggestion, I’d highly recommend Los Dos Hombres Mexican restaurant. The tacos are to die for!
👉 Read more: A perfect day out at The Entrance, NSW Central Coast
Hunter Valley
My husband and I visited the Hunter Valley while attending a wedding a few years back, but we’d never properly explored it until we did a Sydney to Byron Bay road trip in 2021. It turned out to be one of my favourite stops!
🏨 Where to stay in the Hunter Valley: We stayed at the Leisure Inn Pokolbin Hill and put aside an afternoon to do some wine tastings at a few of the vineyards in the area around Pokolbin.
If you’ll be spending the day doing wine tastings, I would recommend finding a way to get around that doesn’t involve driving for safety reasons (unless you want to spit out the wine, but really, what a waste!). We walked from our hotel to a few nearby cellar doors, but you could also book a half-day wine tour and have someone else take care of the transport.
👉 Read more: How to visit the Hunter Valley from Sydney: Best wine tours & where to stay
Port Macquarie
This seaside town is a place that we have visited a few times before. I would highly recommend staying for a day or two in Port Mac (as it’s affectionately called) if you have the time.
Some of my fave attractions in Port Macquarie are the breakwall next to Town Beach which has fun painted rocks along the foreshore, and the cute lighthouse at Tacking Point with its killer views along Lighthouse Beach and the coast.
For something boozy, there’s the Bago Maze and Winery which has both a hedge maze and wine tastings (not sure if that’s a good combo!) and the Black Duck Brewery which has a beer garden and tasting bar for all you craft beer nerds (definitely try their Irish Red Ale!).
🏨 Where to stay in Port Macquarie: I stayed with family when I was in town, but Mantra The Observatory would be my top pick for Port Macquarie accommodation as it has killer ocean views and is easy walking distance to cafés and the coastal walk.
Coffs Harbour
On the drive up to Coffs Harbour, it’s definitely worth a quick stop at Urunga to see the wetlands boardwalk. This spot was a surprisingly awesome find for us! I discovered it just by looking at Google Maps for places to visit along the coast. The boardwalk starts at the town centre and covers an area that was once used a shipping port but is now reclaimed wetlands with a forest of mangrove trees. At the far end, it reaches the sand dunes and Pacific Ocean.
Coffs Harbour, known locally as just Coffs, is a laid-back seaside city surrounded by numerous banana plantations. I wasn’t expecting much from Coffs as it’s kind of known as a tacky tourist town where families with young kids go for a resort holiday, but I was pleasantly surprised–Coffs has some great attractions that are suitable for all ages.
🏨 Where to stay in Coffs Harbour: BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort is a top pick for its relaxed beachfront location and resort-style amenities. It’s just north of town with easy access to the sand, tropical gardens, multiple pools, and an on-site restaurant.
There are plenty of activities to keep you busy in Coffs Harbour. We stopped in at The Big Banana (because it really wouldn’t be a trip to Coffs without visiting this iconic spot!) and ordered one of their famous banana splits to share and walked it off around the jetty and foreshore.
We also checked out Muttonbird Island which has a walking path leading to the far side where you can watch the ocean waves crash against the rocks, and the impressive Forest Sky Pier which is located just behind Coffs in the Orara East State Forest.
👉 Read more: How to spend one day in Coffs Harbour
Byron Bay
Before our road trip in 2018, I had spent exactly one day in Byron Bay. It really wasn’t enough time to explore the town properly.
Byron Bay is known for being a beachy, bohemian destination, but wouldn’t you know it–it rained basically the entire three days that we were there! I really wanted to do a surf lesson, but instead we squeezed in a few lake and river swims at the nearby Lennox Head and Brunswick Heads, checked out some local breweries, and ate out at some of Byron’s amazing restaurants such as Light Years. The food here is seriously next-level.
👉 Read more: Things to do in Byron Bay when it rains: Wet weather activities guide
We also managed to do a quick walk up to the Cape Byron Lighthouse on the only afternoon when the sun temporarily showed its face, and completed the short trail that leads from the lighthouse out to Australia’s easternmost point.
🏨 Where to stay in Byron Bay: The Lord Byron is a great choice for a laid-back stay in Byron Bay. It’s close to the town centre and beaches, with bright coastal-style rooms, a pool, and free bikes for exploring the area.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is one of those places that every Aussie has probably visited at least once. It’s got that classic holiday vibe — golden beaches, surf breaks, and sunshine pretty much all year round.
🏨 Where to stay on the Gold Coast: For a relaxed coastal base, check out Meriton Suites Broadbeach, which offers spacious apartment-style rooms and sea views.
Spend your days surfing at Burleigh Heads, hand-feeding kangaroos at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, or visiting Springbrook National Park for waterfalls and lookouts.
For a bird’s-eye view, head up to the SkyPoint Observation Deck at Q1 Tower — the tallest building in Australia — where you can enjoy panoramic views over the city and coastline.
For families, the nearby theme parks are always a hit, but honestly, the hinterland and beach walks are where the Gold Coast really shines.
Brisbane
After all the coastal towns, Brisbane feels like a change of pace. Queensland’s capital has a relaxed energy — still a big city, but without the rush. The subtropical climate means it’s warm year-round, and locals seem to take full advantage of that outdoor lifestyle.
🏨 Where to stay in Brisbane: My top pick is The Constance Hotel in Fortitude Valley — I stayed here during a Brisbane getaway and loved its colourful street-art theme, rooftop bar, and easy access to the city’s best dining spots.
We spent a few days exploring the city’s highlights, starting with a wander along South Bank Parklands — a leafy riverside area with public art, restaurants, and the iconic man-made Streets Beach (yes, a literal beach in the middle of the city!). From there, it’s easy to walk across to Queen Street Mall for a spot of shopping or jump on one of the free CityHopper ferries to admire Brisbane’s skyline from the water.
If you’re looking to slow it down, check out the Queensland Museum and Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) for some indoor culture, or head up to Wilson Outlook Reserve for a panoramic view of the city at dusk.
👉 Read more: Brisbane in 2 days: A fun & photogenic weekend itinerary
One of our most memorable experiences here was a day tour to Moreton Island, where we snorkelled around the Tangalooma shipwrecks and even had the chance to hand-feed wild dolphins at sunset. It was such a unique adventure — the kind of experience that reminds you how wild and beautiful Australia can be, even just an hour from a major city.
👉 Read more: How to visit Tangalooma & Moreton Island on a day trip from Brisbane
Fraser Island (K’gari)
Fraser Island (now officially known as K’gari) had been on my Australian bucket list for years. It’s the world’s largest sand island and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its freshwater lakes, wild dingoes, and the novelty of driving along a beach that doubles as a highway. Getting there is an adventure in itself — you’ll need to take the ferry from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach, which makes it feel deliciously remote.
🏨 Where to stay on Fraser Island: We checked into Kingfisher Bay Resort, a peaceful eco-retreat surrounded by forest and perched right on the island’s western shore. It was the perfect base to unwind after our long drive up the coast.
We hired some off-road vehicles and hit the sand for a full day of exploring. Our route took us past the rusting Maheno Shipwreck, along the wide stretch of Seventy-Five Mile Beach. We also swam in the crystal-clear Lake McKenzie and spotted a few dingoes roaming around.
If you don’t have your own 4WD (or the confidence to drive on soft sand), a guided Fraser Island Tour from Hervey Bay or Rainbow Beach is the way to go. Local guides know the tides and terrain inside out, so you can sit back, enjoy the ride, and soak up the wild beauty of K’gari without worrying about getting bogged.
👉 Read more: Fraser Island travel guide: How to visit K’gari + top things to do
Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is huge (like, seriously huge) — it stretches for more than 2,300 kilometres along the Queensland coast and is one of the most incredible natural wonders in the world. It’s also at risk due to climate change and ocean pollution, so if seeing the reef is on your bucket list, don’t wait too long to tick it off.
The southernmost point of the Great Barrier Reef is only just north of Fraser Island, so you only need to head up to Bundaberg, just an hour and a half drive north of Hervey Bay, to be able to take a day trip to the reef!
Recommended tour: You can book a Great Barrier Reef Day Tour from Bundaberg, which takes you out on a full-day cruise to Lady Musgrave Island for snorkelling, a glass bottom boat tour, and buffet lunch on board.
If you have a few extra days, you could continue north to explore other reef access points like Airlie Beach (gateway to the Whitsundays) or head all the way up to Far North Queensland for incredible snorkelling and diving opportunities. Each region of the reef has its own character — Lady Musgrave is more peaceful and untouched, while the Whitsundays combine that tropical island vibe with sailing adventures.
Visiting the Great Barrier Reef is one of those rare experiences that makes you appreciate just how extraordinary Australia’s natural landscapes are. It’s the perfect way to end a road trip up the East Coast — sunburnt, salty, and completely in awe.
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