Six weeks is the perfect amount of time to see all the key sights of the east coast of Australia without rushing it, so this itinerary is what I would do if I was going to experience it all again for the first time. Feel free to use this as a starting point to create your own perfect trip and use my recommendations for activities and where to stay. This trip begins in Melbourne.
Melbourne (4/5 nights)
Arriving in Melbourne, take a few days to settle into the new country and overcome jet lag. Never underestimate jet lag, especially if you are travelling across the world you’ll want to take it easy for a few days so you can enjoy your time as much as possible. There is plenty to do in this city full of culture, art and amazing coffee.
THINGS TO DO:
-see the street art on Hosier Lane
-try a magic coffee
-visit St Kilda beach
-take a look at the Queen Victoria Markets
-take time to see the Great Ocean Road. You can do this on a 12 hour day trip (GoWest offer a great one) or over a few days by hiring a car depending on how much time you have
STAY AT: Space Hostel
then grab a 12 hour overnight bus to:
Sydney (5 nights)
Arriving in Sydney in the morning, head to the hostel to freshen up and then you can enjoy some of the many cool cafes it has to offer and see some of the famous sights. Sydney is a bustling tourist hub and for good reason.
THINGS TO DO:
-visit the famous Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge
-enjoy the views on the Coogee to Bondi walk
-get a ferry over to Manly for the day
-taste your way around Spice Alley
-take a trip up to the famous Blue Mountains
STAY AT: Wake Up! Bondi OR Wake Up! Sydney Central
hop on your next overnight 13 hour bus to:
Byron Bay (3 nights)
One of my favourite places on the coast, Byron is a great spot for chilled out hippie vibes, cute independent shops and cafes, and beautiful nature. A great change of pace from the previous big cities and good opportunity to slow it down for a few days.
THINGS TO DO:
-go on a sunrise lighthouse walk and walk to the most easterly point in Australia
-make like the locals and take a surf lesson
-experience a night out at the piano bar
-kayak with dolphins
-do the behind the bay tour
STAY AT: Wake Up! Byron Bay or The Surf House
travel 1.5 hours to:
Gold Coast (2/3 nights)
You will arrive in Surfers Paradise which is a great hub for activity but not where the beauty of the Gold Coast lies, so I’d recommend not spending too much time here, but still absolutely worth a visit. Don’t overlook areas further out like Coolangatta and explore the beautiful hinterland if you can.
things to do:
-Q1 building for panoramic views of the Gold Coast
-enjoy the cafes
-shopping at pacific fair
-visit Burleigh Heads (national park walk)
-Springbrook National Park
STAY AT: Bunk Hostel Surfer’s Paradise
a short 2 hours to:
Brisbane (2/3 nights)
An underrated city of the coast with vibrant activity. People seem to have mixed views on it but there is plenty to see and do and it has a vibe of its own.
THINGS TO DO:
-dedicate a day to Australia Zoo. Don’t forget to go to a croc show and you might be lucky enough to see the Irwins themselves.
-walk along South Bank
-visit Moreton Island
-eat your way across Eat Street
-hike up Mount Coot-Tha
STAY AT: BUNK Hostel Brisbane
travel 1 hour to:
Noosa (4 nights)
The Sunshine Coast is a beautiful area of Queensland. Most of the backpacking community is central to Noosa but it also has a lot more to offer in surrounding areas.
-walk through Noosa National Park
-visit Eumundi markets
-kayak through the everglades
-swim in the fairy pools
STAY AT: Bounce Noosa
head 3 hours up to:
rainbow beach + k’gari (3 nights)
Get the iconic photo at the steps at rainbow beach, staying here for a night and then grab the ferry over to the biggest sand island in the world (formerly known as Fraser Island) for the most memorable 3 days.
I would recommend the 3 day, 2 night Pippie’s Tour but you can also just visit for a day if you would prefer.
There is so much to do on the island and the tour organises this all for you. Camping here is definitely a great experience.
6 hours drive to:
(Agnes Water) (1 night)
There is not so much to do here and many miss it, but i would recommend it just for a night to recover from the K’Gari tour and break up the long travel. Some may choose elsewhere like Rockhampton but the tiny town 1770 is beautiful, quaint and a super chilled out place to spend a day.
STAY AT: YHA 1770
grab a 14 hour overnight bus to:
townsville for Magnetic Island (2 nights)
You can get the sealink ferry straight over from Townsville to Maggie island. Another one of my favourite places along the coast you definitely don’t want to skip this one for the most perfect Island Vibes, lots of wildlife and stunning walks.
THINGS TO DO:
-hire a scooter/ jeep to tour the island
-spot koalas on a nature walk
-see the rock wallabies at Geoffrey Bay
STAY AT: Nomads Magnetic Island or Selina Hostel
hop on a 4.5 hour bus to:
Airlie Beach + Whitsundays (5 nights)
The town of Airlie itself is buzzing with life and the Whitsundays are famously home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
THINGS TO DO:
-experience Airlie’s night life
-spend a day relaxing at the lagoon
-hit the waves on a jet ski tour
-do a sky dive! If it’s on your bucket list, here you will have one of the most beautiful landings imaginable
-hop on boat tour of the Whitsundays
The most popular choice among backpackers is the Atlantic Clipper for 2 nights. There are other overnight boat options as this is pretty party central. They do all come in fairly pricey but it’s arguable worth the price. If your budget doesn’t stretch that far then there are lots of options for day tours with companies life Ocean Rafting which are lots of fun and you still get to see all the sights.
STAY AT: Nomads Airlie Beach
head 10 hours up to:
Cairns (5 nights)
Cairns does not get the appreciation it deserves compared to other destinations in Australia. It is a typical tropical city vibe with plenty to see, do, eat and drink. Not to mention the extraordinary nature in surrounding areas. Lots of people choose to stay here for an extended period of time at the end of their East Coast trip to work and complete there 88 days so there is no doubt a big backpacker community.
-dive on the Great Barrier Reef
-take an Uncle Brian’s tour
-visit close by Palm Cove
-take a boat over to Fitzroy Island
-Bungee jump at the sky park
-have a drink at Salties
STAY AT: Gilligans or Global
And that wraps up about 6 weeks in Australia but it only just scratches the surface of it. I understand how so many people completely fall in love with it and hope that you will too.
Meg Goes Global 
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