Australia had been on our bucket list for years, and for our first trip Down Under we decided to do one of the country’s most iconic adventures: a road trip up the East Coast from Sydney to Cairns.
In this four-part series, I’ll break down the exact itinerary we followed, including driving distances, worthwhile stops, hikes, beaches, and everything we learned along the way. If you’re planning your own East Coast road trip, this guide should help you map out an unforgettable journey.
Sydney → Katoomba → Newcastle → Coffs Harbour → Byron Bay
Stop 1: Sydney
After landing in Sydney early in the morning, we decided the best cure for jet lag was simple: stay outside and keep moving.
We started with a relaxed walk from our hostel through the Royal Botanic Garden toward Sydney Harbour. Walking through the gardens with the skyline slowly appearing in front of you is probably one of the best introductions to Australia you can get. From there we continued to the iconic Opera House before hopping on the ferry to Manly.
The ferry ride alone is worth it for the harbour views. Manly itself feels much calmer than central Sydney — a laid-back beach suburb with surf vibes, cafés, and a long beachfront perfect for a slow afternoon after a long-haul flight.
Over the next couple of days we explored some of Sydney’s most famous spots:
- Bondi Beach
- The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
- Chinatown & the night markets
- The Rocks district
- Victoria Building & the city centre
The Bondi to Coogee walk was definitely one of the highlights. The trail follows the coastline past cliffs, beaches, rock pools, and cafés, making it one of the most scenic urban walks we’ve done anywhere.
Stop 2: Sydney → Katoomba: ~2 hours
After picking up our rental car, it was finally time to begin the road trip properly.
Driving on the opposite side of the road for the first time was definitely an adjustment, so the relatively easy drive from Sydney to Katoomba was actually a great way to ease into it.
Unfortunately, the weather in the Blue Mountains didn’t cooperate. Fog and rain covered most of the viewpoints, but we still enjoyed the atmosphere of the mountains. Anyway we decided to go for the Prince Henry Cliff Walk, which in full is about 13.8 km return and normally rewards hikers with spectacular views over the valleys and cliffs. With visibility close to zero, we chose to shorten the hike.
To finish the day, we headed to Mountain Culture Brewery, to experience the Australian craft beer scene.
Stop 3: Newcastle
Katoomba → Newcastle: ~4 hours
On the next stage we drove back towards the coast.
We broke up the drive by heading to Shoal Bay in the Port Stephens region — a small, laid-back beach town that instantly felt like holiday mode.
Shoal Bay is the starting point for the Tomaree Head Summit Walk. This short but steep trail only takes about 20–30 minutes up to the summit, but the payoff is incredible. From the top you get panoramic views over turquoise bays, beaches, and the coastline of Port Stephens.
Nearby from Shoal Bay are the famous Stockton Sand Dunes, one of the largest moving sand dune systems in the Southern Hemisphere.These massive dunes stretch almost endlessly along the coast. Many people explore them by 4WD or sandboarding, but even walking through the dunes for an hour is an experience on its own.
Afterward, we drove down to Newcastle for the night.
Stop 4: Coffs Harbour
Newcastle → Coffs Harbour: ~5.5 hours
This was one of the longer driving days of the trip, so we planned a stop to visit the “Guulabaa the Place of Koala” almost halfway to Coffs Harbour. “Guulabaa” is the First Nations word for koala, and the sanctuary focuses on rehabilitation and conservation. What stood out most was how much natural space the rescued koalas had compared to many traditional wildlife parks. It felt educational, respectful, and much more connected to conservation than entertainment tourism.
As we reached Coffs Harbour, we first took a stroll along the jetty before continuing to Muttonbird Island. The island offers beautiful panoramic views over the harbour and the Pacific coastline, and during the winter months it is also a popular spot for whale watching.
Afterwards, we spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at one of Coffs Harbour’s long sandy beaches, the perfect place to unwind after a long day.
Stop 5: Byron Bay
Coffs Harbour → Byron Bay: ~3 hours
The final destination of this leg was Byron Bay.
Before arriving in Byron Bay, we made an early morning stop at the “Look At Me Now Headland” Walk near Emerald Beach. Getting there early was definitely worth it, as the kangaroos are most active around sunrise. Seeing so many kangaroos freely hopping around the grassy headland with the ocean in the background felt like one of those classic Australian moments you imagine before coming here.
From there, we continued north and stopped at The Farm Byron Bay, a beautifully maintained working farm just outside town. It’s definitely a popular tourist stop, but for good reason. You can wander through the open grounds, grab fresh pastries and coffee, and buy locally made products directly from the farm. It was the perfect relaxed stop before heading into Byron itself.
We then spent the next few days slowing down and fully embracing the Byron lifestyle. Most of our time was spent between the beach, cafés, and coastal walks, fueled by countless flat whites, great pizza, and vegan frozen yogurt. One of the highlights was the coastal walk to Cape Byron Lighthouse, which takes about an hour from the town centre and offers stunning views over the coastline the entire way.
Byron Bay definitely feels more developed and polished than it probably did years ago, and it no longer has that hidden hippie-town feeling people often talk about. Still, it’s easy to understand why so many travelers fall in love with the place. The beaches are beautiful, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the days somehow pass by incredibly quickly.
With fully recharged batteries, we were finally ready to continue north toward Queensland — but that’s for Part 2.
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