Australia’s east coast is bursting with natural beauty, coastal towns, and tropical highlights — but you don’t need to rush to experience it all. This two-week adventure connects Sydney and Cairns through a relaxed, comfort-style journey, blending iconic stops with local discoveries and plenty of time to unwind along the way.
From wine tasting in the Hunter Valley to meeting koalas in Port Macquarie, this trip takes you through the surf-washed shores of Byron Bay, across K’gari’s endless sands, and out over the turquoise waters of the Whitsundays. Finish with a day on the Great Barrier Reef — the ultimate finale to a trip that captures the very best of Australia’s east coast.
Days
- 14 days, 13 nights
Group size
- Max 21
Start / finish
- Sydney / Cairns
- Cairns, after breakfast on day 14
Return
- Cairns, after breakfast on day 14
Accommodation
- 13 nights in boutique hotels and resorts, twin share. Named on the page as the Holiday Inn Potts Point in Sydney, El Paso Motor Inn at Port Macquarie, Beachcomber Byron Bay, Rainbow Getaway Apartments, The Point Hotel Brisbane, Mission Beach Resort and Crystalbrook Flynn in Cairns, or similar. Rooms have ensuite facilities.
Transport
- A coach with your tour leader for the driving days, and the Brisbane to Proserpine flight is included. Day trips use their own transport — a 4WD bus on K'gari, a speedboat in the Whitsundays and a catamaran to the reef.
Meals
- 12 breakfasts, three lunches and one dinner. The dinner is a welcome dinner on day 1.
Route
Included experiences
- Great Barrier Reef — a day cruise with snorkelling, a glass bottom boat and a buffet lunch
- K'gari (Fraser Island) — a 4WD day with Lake McKenzie, the Maheno wreck and 75 Mile Beach
- Whitsunday Islands — a full day speedboat cruise to Whitehaven Beach and the Hill Inlet walk
- Niigi Niigi (Sealy Lookout) — a Gumbaynggirr First Nations experience
- Cape Byron — the lighthouse at the most easterly point of Australia
- Port Macquarie — the Koala Hospital and a foreshore walk
- Hunter Valley — a wine, cheese and chocolate tasting
- Conservation wildlife park — koalas, kangaroos and emus up close
- Byron Bay — a free day on the beach, with optional surfing or kayaking
- Noosa National Park — koala spotting, then Hastings Street
- Atherton Tablelands — a plunge waterfall, Lake Eacham and the Curtain Fig Tree
- Mission Beach — a quiet afternoon, with a chance of wild cassowaries
- Brisbane — an orientation walk or ferry ride along the river
Reviews
5.0
Based on 9 reviews
Verified from
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Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
“amazing!! ”
The itinerary was really well planned, with a great balance between driving and exploring each place. Everything ran smoothly, allowing us to just relax and enjoy the journey. The accommodations were really comfortable too.
We were really lucky to have Jason as our guide. He was caring, funny, and always made sure everyone had a great time, truly making the tour extra special. At every stop and along the way, he shared fantastic local tips and little insights you just wouldn’t find in a guidebook.
The group size was perfect and included people of all ages, but it never mattered at all. Everyone got along so well and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, almost like travelling with a small family.
I can’t recommend this tour enough!
“unforgettable”
Fourteen days on the road from Sydney to Cairns, and the craic was mighty every step of the way. From the youngest to the eldest, the group energy was something special. I even reached a milestone by learning to snorkel thank you Jason but what truly made the journey unforgettable was the family dynamic we created.
At the heart of it all was Jason, our leader, the gel that kept us together. Wayne and Kylie kept the transport running smoothly, never letting us down, and my many coffee stops and room changes just became part of the adventures and jokes
We ended the trip as we lived it – with laughter, tears, and a well-earned drink.
Thank you all for making it such a memorable journey. Miss you all and hope our friendship keep going strong
As Oscar Wilde said: “Memory is the diary we all carry about with us.” And this one will stay with me always.
Love to you all BUT Jason you are the conductor even if Carol see the Beatles live 1964.
“exceptional”
Jason, our guide, was a balance of fun, knowledge, great activities and suggestions. It was my first tour in over 10 years and if I had known what an amazing job Jason, Tara, and the rest of the crew at Via does each and every day - well I would have been on a tour with them sooner!
Through the recent floods, storms and re-routing…..the team had it covered. We felt safe and taken care of. We had a brilliant group of people; it felt like we were all traveling with friends. I cannot recommend the Via team enough, the hotels, activities, options, meals, ability to turn on a dime, and company were all exceptional.
“amazing!!”
An amazing tour! Tour guide, accommodations, itinerary, planned excursions all 10/10. Small group which I love. Fabulous group from all across the world. Would book with this company again!
“a wonderful experience”
My husband and I took the East coast tour from Sydney to Cairns .It was fantastic from start to finish.Everything ran smoothly and there was a relaxed atmosphere. We were part of a small group made up of different nationalities and ages.By the end it felt more like traveling with a group of friends.Eoin , our guide did an amazing job and was super helpful.We enjoyed all the usual attractions which were wonderful but we also got to experience the Australian way of life by visiting lesser well known places.We had cafe breakfasts most days which I loved and stayed in motel style accommodation , all of which were central and very comfortable. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and can recommend Via travel without hesitation .Thanks to everyone involved in providing a wonderful experience for us .
“exceptional!”
The trip was exceptional as we saw and experienced the absolute beauty of the country. We experienced kaolas and kangaroos at a rehab hospital facility, learned about the aboriginal culture, snorkeled at the great barrier reef, hiked through the daintree rain forest just to name a few experiences. The entire trip was led and managed by an over the top experienced crew. Our tour leader, Eoin Kennedy, was/is quite simply the best leader we’ve had on any tour we ever taken in the past. He is empathetic to the needs and happiness of the clients, incredibly knowledgeable, and has a fantastic sense of humor. His stories about the places and locales along the way help to enhance the travel experiences. I highly recommend Via Travel Australia for your Australian trips. Seriously good!
“Cannot speak highly enough”
We were lucky enough to travel with Jason as our tour guide up the Gold Coast from Sydney to Cairns. It was the trip of a lifetime. The tour was full of experiences, knowledge, fun while learning about the culture of Australia, the history, the wildlife, the plant life and sea life. I cannot speak highly enough of the experience with Via Travel Australia.
The places chosen to stay were unique and not all big commercial hotels. The group dinners were well coordinated. The ability to ask the guide questions as they came up and the personal commentary as the group was small enough not to get lost in the crowd.
Every detail down to Jason shopping for a bbq at the hotel including some native foods like kangaroo. We got to see them, pet them and taste them if we chose to. He even took the time to drive us to find a Kasawari bird in the wild.
“Totally incredible”
Hello, I´m Pablo and I wanted to share my experience with you.
Last december I got married to Carmen, we are from Spain and we wanted a different honey moon so we decided to join in the 14 day Sydney to Cairns tour. It has been the trip of our lives, they prepare everything with great care and you can see/feel the social responsibility of the company and the service providers they have chosen.
We were lucky to have Wara as a guide, since he is passionate about his country and a person fully committed to his community, able to give us a lot of information and anecdotes that made the trip much more interesting.
The first week of the tour was great, seeing spectacular places and having the opportunity to go through the koala hospital, but the second week is totally incredible and being able to end up in the Great Barrier Reef is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I recommend you that you to go diving.
“fun filled”
Traveling from Sydney to Cairns on the 14-Day tour was fun filled, informative and filled with lots of wonderful sights from the very first day. Our tour guide was full of interesting facts along the way and knew all the great spots to stop. If you're wanting to get a taste of the East Coast of Australia from Sydney to Cairns, then this is the trip for you!
