It’s been on my bucket list for a while: a road trip along the east coast of Australia. In November, we drove from Brisbane to Sydney in eight days in a campervan. It turned out to be a very relaxing trip. Think lazy mornings, epic hikes, wine tastings, a bit of CrossFit, and iconic Aussie kangaroos.
Nomad menu
Inhoud
Motorhome hire in Australia: tips
- Australia is ideal for a road trip: wide roads, gentle speeds and friendly, polite road users.
- Prices in the supermarket are similar to the Netherlands. For example, a decent bottle of wine will cost you €6-7 in the supermarket.
- Book your motorhome early. Especially in spring (November/December), spots go fast. Booking early means more choice and often better deals.
- Plan fewer miles and more stops: There is a temptation to want to see “everything”. But the charm of the east coast is precisely in relaxed stops: a coastal walk, a wine tasting, an unexpected surf lesson. Less driving, more experiencing!
- Choose a campervan with a fixed bed if your budget allows. I would also do this differently next time: after all, you probably don’t want to convert your table into a bed every night.
- Picking up a campervan in Brisbane? We had a delicious lunch at Buno Coffee Roasters and Cafe. Highly recommended!
East coast route: Brisbane to Sydney
- Starting point: Brisbane (20 November): our trip starts off rainy, but that should not spoil the fun.
- Gold Coast: such lovely beaches.
Campsite: Broadwater Tourist Park, neat and centrally located near beach and town. - Port Macquarie: don’t skip the Coastal Walk in Sea Acres National Park
Camping: NRMA Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park. - Hunter Valley: the Wine Tour with Two Fat Blokes was huge fun! And we spotted our first kangaroos there.
Camping: Wine Country Tourist Park Hunter Valley. - Sydney (28 November): End point at Discovery Parks campsite – Lane Cove, quiet yet close to the city.
Motorhome rental east coast Australia
We hire our motorhome from Indie Campers because of good reviews and best value for money. The motorhome is big enough and drives top notch. The only drawback was that we had to convert the table into a bed every night.
Costs Indie Camper Australia
- Rent: €1,200 for 8 days
- Fuel: ± €150 for 900 km.
- Campsites: On average €30 per night → total ± €250.
Gold Coast
The Gold Coast is exactly what you dream of: endless beaches, surfers in the waves and a laid-back atmosphere. We stay at Broadwater Tourist Park: a clean, well-maintained campsite close to the beach and within walking distance of the town centre. The Gold Coast is great for swimming, surfing, sunbathing and ending the day with a bite to eat in the town centre.
Hunter Valley
A good friend who has visited Australia before tipped us Hunter Valley. Hunter Valley is thé wine region of New South Wales. The rolling hills are full of vineyards and you can do tastings everywhere. This sounds like a great day trip for us! However, the distances between vineyards are long and we don’t want to drink while driving. When we enquire at the campsite about the possibilities, Two Fat Blokes is recommended. This turns out to be a hit!
At 9:30 we are picked up for the ‘Flavours of the Hunter’ tour and to my surprise, by 10:00 we are sitting down to our first wine of the day. This is promising! We start the tour with Chardonnay at Cessnok and even before lunchtime we get a delicious cheese platter at Two Fat Blokes’ café.
Fortunately, at the next stop we get a delicious lunch box. Literally a big box with fresh bread, cold cuts and cheese. With a well-filled stomach, we head in for dessert: wine with chocolate. I generally prefer chocolate with coffee and cheese with wine, but the combinations we are served here are irresistible.
The party really gets complete when we get to tap our own wine from the large stainless steel barrels. Completely in style, we end the day with a – yes – small beer tasting.
Around 17:00, we are dropped off back at our campground. We grab a good night’s sleep and decide to sweat out the alcohol at RIP Hunter Valley the next morning. Here we do a Crossfit Drop-in, in the middle of the vineyards. That evening, we spot a whole herd of kangaroos near our campsite, finally!
Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie, the last stop, is a lovely coastal town known for its laid-back vibe and the beautiful Coastal Walk. This route takes you past cliffs, over beaches and through forests in Sea Acres National Park. We stay at the NRMA Breakwall Holiday Park, another great base.
Best travel time east coast Australia
We visit Australia in November/December. It is spring here then and perfect weather: warm, but not too hot, and everything beautifully green.
East coast Australia: frequently asked questions
How much time do you need from Brisbane to Sydney?
We did 8 days on this route, with short distances and lots of rest. For Cairns → Sydney, count at least 3 weeks.
How do you prepare?
We selected a few places we really wanted to see and left room for spontaneous stops.
For rental, fuel, food and campsites, you should count on around €1,600-1,700 for 8 days.
Many travellers hesitate about this. A campervan sometimes seems more expensive, but you save on hotels ánd you have your own kitchen with you, which saves on eating out. For a road trip along the east coast, where many campsites are good and affordable, a campervan is often the most flexible, budget-friendly option.
No, in most cases your regular B driving licence will suffice, provided you rent a campervan that weighs less than 4.5 tonnes (as with almost all campervans for 2-4 people). Always check the rental company’s terms and conditions too!
Along the east coast, especially between Brisbane and Sydney, petrol stations and supermarkets are never far away. We experienced no problems there, but this may not be true for the entire east coast.
