Post 6/7 in our Australia blog series
A road-trip from Sydney to Brisbane is a great way to experience the varied beauty of Australia’s coastline. The drive along the coast is some 923km and would take just shy of 11 hours continuous driving. With this in mind, here at Economy Car Hire we advise that you should allow 5 days for this trip. This allows you to spend a large proportion of your time out of the car enjoying the activities this coast has to offer. It might also be part of a larger trip going the full distance to Cairns, visiting The Great Barrier Reef on the way.
As you depart from the sprawling metropolis of Sydney, the wilder side of Australia hits you square in the face. The view out of the window is quickly transformed from skyscrapers and trendy cafes to the lush estuary of the Hawkesbury River. The estuary is surrounded by three separate national parks, the most popular of which is undoubtedly Ku-Ring-Gai Chase. The parks are well worth a stop on your trip. They combine great walks, scenic vistas and Aboriginal cave art to produce a wild experience in an area officially classed as a suburb of Sydney.
Just a short drive north of the Hawkesbury River estuary is Terrigal, introducing you to your first beach stop of the trip. This beautiful place is typical of the golden beaches and perfect surf along the Pacific Coast. There is a variety of accommodation on offer and a visit to The Central Coast Marine Discovery Centre is highly recommended. Depending on how much time you have allowed for your trip, a night’s stay here could be worthwhile, although there is more choice of accommodation in nearby Newcastle.
Just over an hour up the coast is the aforementioned City of Newcastle and Port Stephens where you can go Dolphin watching. If you are visiting between May and November be sure to spend a day here to go on a Whale watching cruise. You can see the migrating Humpback Whales and their calves. There are Dolphins here all year round so if you are out of season for Whales, you can still get on the water to see some wildlife.
After a day on the water the road is beckoning again! The scenic drive to Port Macquarie through various forests and nature reserves is beautiful early in the morning. Port Macquarie is just shy of the halfway mark in distance travelled. A well-earned break and picnic on the shores of Lake Cathie will leave you refreshed. There are great coastal walks here, suitable for all ages, and they give you the opportunity to see some wildlife. The challenge is to spot the elusive large white-breasted Sea Eagle.
As you continue to travel northwards you may happen to stumble across the town of Nambucca Heads. Bypassed by the main road, this town has a relaxing bubble protecting it from the hustle and bustle of the Pacific Highway. It is a great place to relax for an afternoon and enjoy the extraordinary views of the Nambucca River estuary. There is a lack of luxury accommodation here so if that is what you are after, this may not be the place for you to spend the night. There is however, some great value basic accommodation that should not be ignored.
As you approach the Gold Coast, you travel through the towns of Bangalow and Mullumbimby, located near the famous Byron Bay. Byron Bay is a popular destination for surfers and there are many places you can learn to surf or rent a board. There are also whale watching cruises on offer during the season and a variety of diving trips for those wanting to get under water. The picture perfect beaches of Byron bay are well worth lingering on and there are some good places to stay and eat too.
As you reach the end of your journey the infamous Surfer’s Paradise looms on the horizon. Its spectacular high rise buildings set again the crisp beaches are really something to savour. There is a very different atmosphere here to most of the places you will have visited so far. There is a sense of coolness created by the trendy bars and cafes that the rest of the coastline just does not have. Again there are similar activities on offer here but just soaking up the atmosphere and appreciating Surfer’s Paradise’s identity can be very rewarding.
As you finish your trip up the Legendary Pacific Coast in Brisbane you can already begin to reminisce about the stunning beauty that you have witnessed. This is a great trip for all ages and ideal for families. Check out some of our great prices for car hire in Australia and start planning your trip today.
