Summary
Short description
A two-week driving holiday along Australia's iconic East Coast
Highlights
- Explore harbour delights of world-famous Sydney
- Take in the landscapes and wildlife of the World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains
- Taste your favourite wines amid the vineyards of Hunter Valley
- Call into Port Stephens to watch dolphins playing in the surf
- Explore the laid-back vibe of Byron Bay, perhaps take a surf lesson or just sit back and leave it to the experts
In Brief
- 3 Nights Sydney
- 1 Night Blue Mountains
- 1 Night Hunter Valley
- 1 Night Port Stephens
- 1 Night Coffs Harbour
- 2 Nights Byron Bay
- 1 Night Brisbane
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
Beach | City | February holidays | Natural world | Self-drive
Australia's East Coast from Sydney to Brisbane is a well-travelled path, and for very good reason. Its mix of golden beaches, sprawling vineyards and rugged hinterland paint perhaps the ultimate portrait of the country's celebrated outdoors lifestyle. After exploring the many delights of Sydney, from its harbour icons to its seaside neighbourhoods, head into the wilderness to explore the spectacular Blue Mountains, taste your way around the award-winning wineries of the Hunter Valley and take in the charms of pretty coastal towns such as Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. It's all accompanied by included car hire and stays in hotels handpicked for their outstanding locations.
Day by day itinerary
Days
1-2
UK/Sydney
Depart the UK for Australia, arriving in Sydney on day three. Before your flight, be sure to take advantage of our complimentary VIP lounge access at the airport.
Days
3-5
Sydney
On arrival in Sydney, you'll be treated to a private transfer to your chosen hotel. You'll have three days in this fabulous city to explore and see why it regularly appears at the top of the best cities in the world lists. There's a huge amount to see and do and fitting it all in will certainly be a challenge. For first-time visitors, the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House are a must, but there's so much more to this vibrant, cosmopolitan city that's worth discovering. Take a ferry to the beaches at Manly and Watsons Bay, try your hand at surfing at Bondi Beach or, for something different, why not browse the weekend markets in Surrey Hills or Glebe, both just a short distance from the CBD? Ask one of our Australia specialists for recommendations based on your preferences.
Stay: Holiday Inn Sydney Darling Harbour (Standard) or Amora Hotel Jamison (Superior)
Meals: B (Superior)
Day
6
Blue Mountains
Collect your hire car and head inland to the Blue Mountains. Located just 65 kilometres west of Sydney, this beautiful region is characterised by its spectacular gorges and gullies, bushwalking trails and a series of lookouts offering superb views across this World-Heritage-Listed landscape. You'll take it all in, of course, from our choice of handpicked hotels. Our superior option offers a delightful boutique stay in a collection of individually styled suites and cottages, while our deluxe-level upgrade mixes in the likes of fine dining, spa treatments and sweeping national-park views.
Stay: Leisure Inn Spires (Superior), or Lilianfels Resort & Spa (Deluxe)
Meals: B (Standard)
Day
7
Hunter Valley
Depart the Blue Mountains and head for the Hunter Valley, one of the premier wine regions in New South Wales. Wine growing in the Hunter can be traced as far back as 1828 making it the country's oldest wine-producing region as well as one of its most renowned. Spend time exploring and sampling the classic wines which include Semillon, Chardonnay and Shiraz, as well as some less well-known varieties such as Verdelho and Chambourcin.
Stay: Hunter Valley Resort (Superior) or The Convent Hunter Valley (Superior)
Meals: B (Deluxe)
Day
8
Port Stephens
From the Hunter Valley you'll head back to the coast and the pretty seaside town of Port Stephens. This wildlife hotspot is home to a pod of some 140 bottlenose dolphins, giving the area the unofficial title of Australia's dolphin capital. Between the months of May and November the town is also a prime spot for viewing the thousands of whales that pass by during their annual migration. Along with the abundance of marine life, Port Stephens is also a great spot to rare seabirds including the Gould's petrel, often seen on and around the scattering of offshore islands. Away from the wildlife and back on dry land, the town itself has a number of lovely independent boutiques and quality restaurants.
Stay: Koala Sanctuary Port Stephens (Standard) or The Anchorage, Port Stephens (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
9
Coffs Harbour
Continue your drive up the New South Wales coast to Coffs Harbour. Among the attractions of this delightful coastal city are its excellent beaches, a pretty marina and the chance to indulge in a number of water sports. Coffs Harbour is also well known for its banana production, as proclaimed by The Big Banana, a large walk-through replica of the town's favourite produce and one of the earliest of the 150 so-called 'big things' erected in towns throughout Australia.
Stay: Discovery Parks - Emerald Beach (Standard & Superior)
Meals: B (Superior)
Days
10-11
Byron Bay
The penultimate stop on your coastal self-drive is the town of Byron Bay. A bohemian atmosphere pervades this laid back community, known for its New-Age philosophies, deeply ingrained surf culture, spectacular white-sand beach and Cape Byron, Australia's most easterly point. It is also emerging as a gourmet haven for foodies and there are a multitude of superb cafes and restaurants to choose from in the town. Take time to explore, perhaps try your hand at surfing with surf lesson or hop in a sea kayak for a paddle with dolphins but also just stop and relax, soak up the laid back vibe and enjoy the glorious beaches.
Stay: Discovery Park (Standard) or Crystalbrook Byron (Superior)
Day
12
Brisbane
Continue north to Brisbane, the last stop on your East Coast drive and the state capital of sunny Queensland. Spend a day exploring the cosmopolitan city centre on the banks of the Brisbane River, or discover one of the city's trendy suburbs such as New Farm, full of cafés, markets and boutiques.
Stay: Hotel Grand Chancellor (Standard) or Hyatt Regency, Brisbane (Superior)
Meals: B (Deluxe)
Days
13-14
Departure
Return your car to Brisbane airport and board your overnight flight, arriving in the UK on Day 14.
Meals: B (Superior)
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
14-day tailor-made self-drive
from £2,510 pp incl. flights
Standard
Low Season
from £2,510 pp. incl. flights
High Season
from £3,135 pp. incl. flights
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return flights between London and Sydney/Brisbane
- 10 nights accommodation staying in typically 3 and 3.5-star (Standard) hotels on a mix of room-only and B&B basis
- 8 days medium car hire with max cover
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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