There’s a good reason why beach-loving road trippers hug our eastern seaboard. Join Carolyne Jasinski on her east coast ramble from Queensland down to the New South Wales/Victoria border.
Spectacular scenery, relaxed stays, the promise of plenty to do or the chance to do nothing at all. Long stretches of soft, white sand, the perfect wave or whale watching from cliff-tops … beach bliss is different for everyone. And that’s a good thing given what’s on offer along the east coast of Australia.
It would take way too many pages to cover the hundreds of beaches from Cooktown in Queensland to Eden in NSW, but here’s a snapshot of where you can squelch in the sand and dive into the deep blue along the way.
Queensland: Cooktown to Coolangatta (2100km)
Tropical North Queensland
Renowned for pristine wilderness and the wonders that lay offshore, the beaches here are also famous for two other things — crocodiles and stingers — so it’s often better to admire the view rather than take a dip.
Cooktown is the northernmost town you can reach in a 2WD. Named after explorer Captain James Cook, it’s full of history, wildlife and wilderness. Check out Finch, Quarantine and Quarantine bays but be warned, the crocodiles have also discovered the appeal of these destinations.
Cape Tribulation is where two World Heritage areas meet — the approximately 180-million-year-old Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
Port Douglas offers easy access to the reef and the rainforest at Mossman Gorge.
Take the Coast Road to the tropical city of Cairns and stop at all the beaches along the way from Ellis Beach to Palm Cove, Trinity Beach and Yorkeys Knob.
Once in Carins, the Esplanade Lagoon is a great (and safe) alternative to the mud flats just offshore.
- Detour: Desperate to swim? Try river drift snorkelling in Mossman River or snorkel from the beach on Fitzroy Island near Cairns.
Cassowary Coast and Townsville region
The palm-lined beaches in this region are picture perfect. Watch out for endangered cassowaries as you drive to Kurrimine Beach, Mission Beach and Cardwell.
What a gorgeous waterfront in Townsville! The Strand has beautiful parks with huge curtain fig trees, outdoor gyms and paths give it the Gold Coast feel minus the crowds and bling.
- Detour: Snorkel among the Ocean Sentinels at the Museum of Underwater Art near Townsville. Ferry to Magnetic Island’s 23 beautiful beaches.
The Whitsundays
Continuing down the coast, Bowen is the perfect place to stop for a day or so. Not only does it have the Big Mango, but this lovely coastal town is also home to the long and gloriously quiet Queens Beach.
Airlie Beach has everything tourists want — a marina, golf course, oodles of shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and a waterfront lagoon for swimming during stinger season.
- Detour: Any of the 74 Whitsunday Islands — please note, you won’t be able to take your car and van there.
Mackay region
Who knew you could do so much in Australia’s sugar capital? The coast is king — especially for wildlife lovers. Wallabies gather at sunrise for a mangrove seedpod feast at Cape Hillsborough. Turtles nest from October to March along Sarina Beach and dugongs love the Dugong Sanctuary in Clairview.
- Detour: Go inland to prospect for gold (a fossicking licence is required), take a helicopter ride over Peak Range, learn about sugar cane at Oh Deere Farm Stay in Calen and island hop on the Great Barrier Reef.
Capricorn Coast
Yeppoon has a lagoon, shops and restaurants with views over the Coral Sea and turtles and whales from July to October. Follow the drive past Discovery Parks – Coolwaters to Emu Park to see (and hear) The Singing Ship monument dedicated to the area’s historical explorations and the nearby tributes to locals who served in Australia’s defence forces.
- Detour: Park your car and van and head to Great Keppel (Wop-pa) Island for some great walks and camping. Head inland to Capricorn Caves and Australia’s beef capital, Rockhampton.
Discovery Coast
Start in Gladstone at the Eastern Shores Parklands. Detour to quiet Tannum Sands with paddle-boarders, kayakers and kids on floating toys plus long, wide beaches with wind surfers and paragliders.
Brace for the crowds at incredibly popular Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy — the second place where Captain James Cook stepped on to Australian soil.
- Detour: Bundaberg Rum Distillery; Lady Elliot (by plane) and Lady Musgrave islands (by ferry, tent camping only); Mon Repos Turtle Centre near Bargara.
Fraser Coast
Hervey Bay is best known for whale watching (July to October), and access to K’gari (Fraser Island) — the largest sand island in the world.
Walk on the beach (only a few allow dogs) or the shaded Esplanade boardwalk from Scarness to Torquay for the Ferris wheel, shops and Saturday markets.
- Detour: Don’t miss checking out K’gari while you’re in the area. There are plenty of caravan-friendly powered and unpowered sites to choose from, but be prepared for sand driving, some challenging tracks and a stunning natural environment. Ferry tickets and permits should be organised in advance.
Sunshine Coast
Expect popular and populated touristy beaches from busy Noosa Heads Main Beach to family-friendly Coolum Beach, Cotton Tree Beach and Mooloolaba Beach. There are ‘quieter’ spots like Peregian Beach and Rainbow Beach and 40 Mile Beach in Great Sandy National Park (Cooloola Recreation Area) where you can watch dolphins, turtles and whales swim past Double Island Point.
- Detour: Noosa Everglades — there are only two everglades in the world! Head inland to Gympie’s Mary Valley Rattler heritage steam train and The Original Eumundi markets. Or head even further inland and explore the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.
Gold Coast
It’s all about sun, sand and surf and crowds. Beaches range from glitzy Surfers Paradise to Broadbeach for foodies, residential Mermaid Beach and family-friendly Tallebudgera and Currumbin Creek. Burleigh Heads is a hipster hangout and at Kirra Beach there’s a reef with turtles, fish and octopus about 100m offshore.
Coolangatta is the final Queensland stop. It has all the beaches without all the bodies. It’s the perfect basecamp before wandering down the NSW coast.
New South Wales: Tweed Heads to Eden (1307km)
Northern Rivers — Far North Coast
Coolangatta in Queensland sits right next to Tweed Heads in NSW. The border cuts the peninsula in half with Tweed Heads claiming more river frontage.
Snapper Rocks, where water dragons dance on the rock walls, is a favourite for both surfers and anyone wanting to go safe swimming in rock pools.
Heading south, lunch at Cubby Bakehouse in Chinderah and stop for a stroll in Kingscliff.
Byron Bay is a huge drawcard especially for celebrities with deep pockets.
The iconic Main Beach is beautiful, but the town is possibly the least RV-friendly stop on this coastal cruise (barring some of the islands). Parking is limited and costs a motza everywhere.
Byron’s Tallow Beach is the saving grace, stretching for as far as you can see.
Shaws Bay near East Ballina is one of my favourite stops ... water-front caravan park sites with views of paddle-boarders, kayakers, swimmers and walkers. (Reflections Shaws – Bay Holiday Park and Discovery Parks – Ballina are both good options.)
Continuing the journey south, make sure you explore the rock wall walk at Evans Head, go whale-watching at Razorback Lookout, and visit Yamba at the mouth of the Clarence River.
Walk to the end of the rock wall at Evans Head, watch for whales at Razorback Lookout and
- Detour: The Farm Byron Bay for food and animal fun, Broadwater National Park for hiking, picnics, surfing and more.
Mid North Coast
When the tide is out at Moonee Beach you can walk for a few hundred metres across the bay before reaching the main beach. Tidal pools are great for paddling and playing with dogs.
Explore Coffs Harbour Marina and the weekend Harbourside Markets on the historic jetty. Sealy Lookout offers views over banana plantations to the coast and, of course, there is the Big Banana.
On the road to Port Macquarie, enjoy dairy country views of cows grazing in green pastures and watch for pop-up vans with fresh fish catches.
The Bonny Hills headland overlooks Rainbow Beach to the north, keen surfers to the south and whales off in the distance on their own trek down the coast.
A short drive (15 minutes) away is the pretty, river-front town of North Haven (and The Addictive Pie Shop), then busy Laurieton with its butcher, baker and, no doubt, a candle-stick maker.
The Lakes Way drive goes past tall gums and small farms to Tuncurry then over the bridge to Forster for some retail therapy.
Tiona is split in two by the highway. On one side is Wallis Lake and the open-air Green Cathedral, and Seven Mile Beach on the other. Big surf makes for a misty horizon.
- Detour: Visit South West Rocks and Horseshoe Bay, walk around Trial Bay Headland and throw in a fishing line.
Central Coast
The drive into the NSW Central Coast is across mountains and around lakes with detours back to the beaches. Along the way climb to the lighthouse at Seal Rocks, walk the long stretches of sand at Port Stephens, shop at Nelson Bay and book ahead for accommodation … it’s busy here.
Don’t let the ships sitting offshore put you off visiting Newcastle. The town beaches, from Nobbys to Newcastle, Bar and Merewether are all worth a stop.
Then it’s a coastal hop to Norah Heads. Visit the lighthouse and walk down to the flat bedrock headlands where you can fish or swim in rock pools.
The Entrance is a pretty town bordered by water on three sides and gained its name by being ‘the entrance’ to Tuggerah Lakes.
- Detour: For this trip, we skirt around Sydney. Depending on your route, check out Broken Bay Pearl Farm, Blue Mountain National Park and Wollongong’s many surf beaches and rock pools.
Illawarra region
After stopping in at Shellharbour (30-minute drive south from Wollongong) with its sea baths and rock plateau reaching out into the water, Kiama, Gerringong and Gerroa are the stars.
Kiama Lighthouse and Blowhole is always a tourist drawcard — hold on to your hats! The steep landscape around Gerringong means most houses have a spectacular view of the smallish bay. And Gerroa’s big horseshoe-shaped bay makes it a family favourite beach destination.
- Detour: Head inland to Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures for a rainforest hike with ocean views.
Shoalhaven region
The Shoalhaven region (and its many beaches) starts at the Shoalhaven River, a short drive south of Gerroa. Follow the Princes Highway through Nowra but detour to the white sands of Hyams Beach and further on into Booderee National Park along Jervis Bay. The main road meets the coast again at Ulladulla with its impressive marina and sea pools. Tranquil Burrill Lake, with its own beach, is over the bridge.
- Detour: The Shoalhaven region is renowned for having beaches with some of the whitest sand in the world, so be sure to visit as many as you can.
Eurobodalla region
It just keeps getting better the further south you go. First Batemans Bay then the Batehaven Tourist Drive to Denhams Beach, Malua Bay, Rosedale, Tomakin, Mossy Point, Broulee Beach and Moruya. This whole stretch is full of protected bays and cliff-sides dotted with houses.
- Detour: Explore the pretty town of Narooma, featuring clifftops that are perfect for spotting whales breaching in the surf. Tilba is home to quaint buildings, a cheese factory and teapot and lolly shops.
Sapphire Coast
What a gem of a region! Bermagui is tiny but so pretty — the beach, marina, headlands and national parks do not disappoint.
Tathra has a friendly community feel with a big holiday park on the foreshore. Tathra Beach is popular among the surf crowd, but you’ll also find people swimming, kids playing and keen surf fishermen. Head up the hill to the Tathra Headland Walk for the best views as well as the historic wharf and hotel.
Bustling Merimbula is next and is full of waterways, boats, oyster farms and beaches.
Our final stop on this east coast ramble is Eden — a cruise ship hub known for whale watching, bushwalking in Beowa National Park and a fistful of festivals.
- Detour: Go bush camping at Kangarutha Farm in Tathra or head to Tathra Beach Eco Camp for beach views, and visit Green Cape Lookout in Beowa National Park.
Flip it and reverse it
The eastern seaboard is a loden stone for beach lovers, no matter the season. And with so many great beaches, coastal towns and detours to explore, you can easily flip the route and visit anything you missed on your return journey.
THE NEXT STEP
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