Itinerary
- Day 1
Sydney
You'll land in Sydney and pick up your rental car, then the rest of your day is open. Head to the Harbour Bridge and Opera House whenever you feel like it, or just wander around and get a feel for the city at your own pace.
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
Optional Activities
- Explore Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Visit the Opera House
Landmarks Sydney Harbour Bridge Sydney Opera House 
- Day 2
Sydney to Blue Mountains
Drive west toward the Blue Mountains this morning. You'll see the Three Sisters rock formation and get views of those blue-tinted mountains, which get their color from eucalyptus oil rising up from the trees below.
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- View Three Sisters rock formation
- Enjoy Blue Mountains scenic views
Landmarks Three Sisters Blue Mountains 
- Day 3
Hunter Valley
Spend the morning and early afternoon on a wine tasting tour, hitting at least 3 boutique wineries. During the scenic drive between stops, keep your eyes open for kangaroos. Later, check out Two Fat Blokes Cellar Door where they pair 7 wines with 7 different cheeses, which is a nice way to finish the day.
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Half-day Hunter Valley wine tasting tour
- Visit at least 3 boutique wineries
- Wine and cheese tasting at Two Fat Blokes Cellar Door (7 wines paired with 7 cheeses)
Optional Activities
- Spot local wildlife including kangaroos
Landmarks Two Fat Blokes Cellar Door 
- Day 5
Hunter Valley to Coffs Harbour
Take a longer drive along the Pacific Highway today, stopping at beaches on the east coast. You'll pass through towns like Foster, Taree, and Port Macquarie before reaching Coffs Harbour by evening.
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Drive along Pacific Highway
- Stop at east coast beaches
Landmarks Pacific Highway 
- Day 6
Coffs Harbour to Lamington National Park
Drive via Canungra and head into Lamington National Park, which is part of the Gondwana Rainforests UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mountain road to your accommodation winds quite a bit, so take your time getting there.
- Accommodation
- Hotel, Hotel
Included Activities
- Drive through Lamington National Park
Landmarks Lamington National Park Gondwana Rainforests - Day 7
Lamington National Park
Start early with a morning hike to see the colorful birds in Lamington National Park. Later, pick between a four-wheel drive tour or walking through the Treetop Walk where you move along a wooden path through the canopy. After dinner, take another four-wheel drive trip to the glowworm grotto to see millions of glowworms lighting up the darkness like stars.
Included Activities
- Early morning birdwatching hike
- Glow Worm Experience - evening four-wheel drive tour to glowworm grotto
Optional Activities
- Four-wheel drive tour through national park
- Treetop Walk through rainforest canopy
Landmarks Treetop Walk - Day 8
Lamington National Park to Brisbane
Drive to Brisbane via Canungra. Once there, use the ferry to check out different city districts, grab time at the inner-city beach at South Bank, and see the restaurant scene at Howard Smith Wharves under the Story Bridge.
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Explore Brisbane city districts by ferry
- Visit South Bank inner-city beach
- Explore Howard Smith Wharves restaurant scene
Optional Activities
- Climb the Story Bridge
- Visit Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to see koalas and other Australian animals
Landmarks Story Bridge South Bank Howard Smith Wharves Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary 
- Day 9
Brisbane to Noosa Everglades
Head to the Sunshine Coast and Noosa, where the surf is great and the vibe is laid-back. Take a hike through Noosa National Park where koalas hang out in the eucalyptus trees. Your accommodation is a glamping tent on 65 hectares of natural landscape in Cooloola National Park, and eastern gray kangaroos roam freely around the area.
Included Activities
- Hike in Noosa National Park with opportunity to spot koalas
Landmarks Noosa National Park Cooloola National Park Noosa Everglades 
- Day 10
Noosa Everglades
Explore the Noosa Everglades on a guided tour. It's one of only two Everglades systems on Earth, and this one has a really pristine, wild feel. You'll see pelicans, cormorants, and kingfishers throughout the day.
Included Activities
- Noosa Everglades tour with wildlife spotting (pelicans, cormorants, kingfishers)
Landmarks Noosa Everglades - Day 11
K'gari
Spend the full day on an off-road excursion across K'gari. You'll visit Lake McKenzie with its fresh water, walk through rainforests, cross sand dunes, see beaches, and check out the Maheno shipwreck. If it's July through October, watch for whales off the coast.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Full-day K'gari off-road excursion including Lake McKenzie, rainforests, sand dunes, beaches, and Maheno shipwreck
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Optional Activities
- Whale spotting (July to October)
Landmarks Lake McKenzie Maheno shipwreck - Day 13
K'gari to Bundaberg
The ferry takes you back to River Heads in the morning, then continue driving to Bundaberg. This area is famous for sugar cane and rum production. The historic Bundaberg Rum Distillery is here, and right behind your accommodation is Mon Repos beach, known around the world for turtle nesting.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ferry return to River Heads
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Bundaberg Rum Distillery with guided tour and tasting (operating since 1888)
- Visit Macadamias Australia farm
- Turtle nesting night tours at Mon Repos Beach (November to March)
Landmarks Bundaberg Rum Distillery Macadamias Australia Mon Repos Beach - Day 14
Lady Musgrave Reef
Board a luxury catamaran from Burnett Heads early morning and head out to Lady Musgrave Reef. You'll spend roughly 4.5 hours there exploring the lagoon by glass-bottom boat and hiking on the island. The day includes morning tea, a marine biologist presentation about the reef, lunch, snorkeling time, and afternoon tea.
- Meals
- Lunch (Gourmet buffet with fresh, regional products)
Included Activities
- Lady Musgrave Cruise to southern Great Barrier Reef
- Glass-bottom boat tour at Lady Musgrave Reef
- Guided island hike
- Snorkeling at Lady Musgrave Reef (equipment provided: mask, snorkel, fins)
- Morning tea
- Reef presentation by marine biologist
- Lunch - gourmet buffet with fresh, regional products
- Afternoon tea
Optional Activities
- Trial diving with fully qualified diving instructor
- Diving for certified divers
- Transfers to outer wall and surrounding reefs for adventurous divers
Landmarks Lady Musgrave Island Lady Musgrave Reef Great Barrier Reef - Day 15
Bundaberg to Rosslyn
Stop in Rockhampton to check out the historic 19th century buildings in the town center. Then drive to Rosslyn where you'll stay in a unique tiny home on a farm. The place focuses on permaculture and sustainable living, so it's quite a different experience.
Included Activities
- Stop in Rockhampton to view historic 19th century buildings
Optional Activities
- Guided tours and practical workshops on permaculture, organic farming, and sustainable lifestyles
- Explore nature trails
- Bird watching
- Yoga sessions
- Farm-to-table dining with fresh organic dishes from farm produce
- Cooking classes
- Interact with farm animals (cows, goats, chickens)
Landmarks Rockhampton 
- Day 16
Great Keppel Island
Take a full-day boat trip to Great Keppel Island on the Capricorn Coast. The boat leaves around 8:30 am from Keppel Bay Marina. You can relax on white sand beaches, go snorkeling to see the Great Barrier Reef's colorful fish and corals, or try stand-up paddling in crystal-clear water.
- Meals
- Lunch
Included Activities
- Full-day Great Keppel Island cruise
- Snorkeling at Great Barrier Reef (equipment included)
- Stand-up paddling (equipment included)
- Morning tea
- Lunch
- Beach time on white sand beaches
Landmarks Great Keppel Island Keppel Islands - Day 17
Rosslyn to Airlie Beach
Drive north to Airlie Beach and the Port of Airlie. This tropical coastal spot is the main launching point for boat trips to the Whitsunday Islands, so it's got lots of options if you want to get out on the water.
Landmarks Port of Airlie - Day 18
Airlie Beach
Today is yours to do what you want. Just a few kilometers away is Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island. The beach is famous for its white quartz sand and clear water. Head to Hill Inlet Lookout for the best views where the water and sand create those unique color patterns.
Optional Activities
- Boat trip to Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island
- Visit Hill Inlet Lookout for views of water and sand mixing patterns
Landmarks Whitehaven Beach Whitsunday Island Hill Inlet Lookout - Day 19
Airlie Beach to Townsville
Continue driving north along the tropical coast to Townsville, Queensland's third largest city. This is also where the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park headquarters is located.
Landmarks Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Day 20
Magnetic Island
Take a 25-minute passenger ferry from Townsville to Magnetic Island. The island has nature, wildlife, beaches, and adventure all mixed together. Check out Forts Walk if you want to spot koalas, or relax at Florence Bay or Radical Bay. Geoffrey Bay is where you can see rock kangaroos.
Included Activities
- Passenger ferry transfer to Magnetic Island
Optional Activities
- Sunbus day tour of island main towns
- Forts Walk (approximately 4km hiking trail with koala spotting)
- Explore Florence Bay
- Explore Radical Bay
- Visit Geoffrey Bay for rock kangaroo viewing
- Bike rental to explore island flexibly
- E-scooter rental to explore island flexibly
Landmarks Magnetic Island Forts Walk Florence Bay Geoffrey Bay - Day 21
Townsville to Cairns
Drive north through sugar cane plantations on your way to Cairns. This coastal city is where the reef meets the rainforest, and it's the main gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and tropical attractions.
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Landmarks Cairns 
- Day 22
Cairns
Your road trip ends in Cairns. Return the rental car or arrange an extension to nearby spots like Port Douglas or Cape Tribulation. Consider taking the historic railway through the rainforest to the Atherton Tablelands, then coming back on the Skyrail cable car, which is the longest in the southern hemisphere.
Optional Activities
- Scenic railway journey through rainforest to Atherton Tablelands
- Skyrail cable car return journey (longest cable car in southern hemisphere)
- Individual extension to Port Douglas
- Individual extension to Cape Tribulation
Landmarks Atherton Tablelands Cape Tribulation Port Douglas
