If you’re short on time on Australia’s East Coast, the five things worth prioritising are a day trip to Stradbroke Island, a surf lesson in Byron Bay, a K’gari 3 day tour, the Buderim Waterfalls day trip, and booking onto a pre-planned package tour so you’re not spending your trip organising logistics instead of living them.
Australia’s East Coast is packed with things to do, and it’s easy to burn your whole trip deciding what’s actually worth your time and budget. So if you’re short on time, here are 5 things that are absolutely worth doing on Australia’s East Coast.
Just off the coast from Brisbane, North Stradbroke Island, or Straddie, is one of the best day trips on the whole East Coast. Think white sand beaches, wild koalas and kangaroos, and the chance to spot dolphins, turtles, and even migrating whales between June and October. The Point Lookout Gorge Walk is the highlight, with rugged cliffs and ocean views that make the ferry ride out completely worth it. It’s an easy add on if you’re already stopping in Brisbane.
You can’t come to Byron Bay and not get in the water. Byron’s beaches are some of the most beginner friendly on the East Coast, with warm water, gentle breaks, and a genuine surf culture that makes it the perfect place to learn. Even if you’ve never stood on a board before, a lesson here is one of those things everyone talks about long after their trip ends. It’s a rite of passage for backpackers heading up the coast.
K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, is the largest sand island in the world and it deserves more than a rushed day trip. A 3 day tour gets you out to the Champagne Pools, Lake McKenzie, the Maheno shipwreck, and rainforest tracks that only grow on sand, all while camping or staying overnight on the island itself. There’s no single day K’gari product out there worth doing properly, the minimum for a real experience is two days, so if you’ve got the time, three days is where K’gari really delivers.
Tucked into the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Buderim Waterfalls is one of those spots that doesn’t get the hype it deserves. It’s a short, scenic stop with a genuine waterfall payoff, and when you do it as part of a JOEY day trip you’ll also swing past the Peregian Beach Hotel for a complimentary drink along the way. It’s a nice change of pace from beach after beach, and one of the easiest wins on this list.
Here’s the one people underrate. Booking onto a pre-planned package tour means you’re not burning half your trip figuring out transport, accommodation, and which activities are actually worth it. Everything’s sorted for you, you meet a crew of other travellers doing the same route, and you get to actually enjoy the East Coast instead of managing a spreadsheet of bookings. If you’re short on time, this is genuinely the highest value thing on the list.
If you need help booking activities, accommodation, or a ride, and want to meet a bunch of legends along the way, get in touch with us and we can help you sort it all with our East Coast packages.
If you’re more of a spontaneous traveller, check out our hop on hop off buses that depart daily from Byron Bay all the way to Rainbow Beach.
See our Route map here
A day trip to Stradbroke Island, a surf lesson in Byron Bay, a K’gari 3 day tour, the Buderim Waterfalls day trip, and booking a pre-planned package tour are five of the best ways to make the most of limited time.
Not really. There’s no proper single day K’gari product, so a 3 day tour is the better option if you want to see the island’s highlights like the Champagne Pools and Lake McKenzie without rushing.
Yes. Stradbroke Island is reached by ferry from Cleveland, just outside Brisbane, and plenty of day tours include transport, so you don’t need your own vehicle.
No. Byron Bay’s beaches are known for being beginner friendly with warm water and gentle waves, making it one of the best places on the East Coast to learn from scratch.
JOEY’s East Coast packages cover your ride, your accommodation, and help booking activities along the route from Byron Bay through to Rainbow Beach, so you can travel without organising every detail yourself.
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