140 mile long beaches and 500 national parks. Endless reef on all sides, and over two and a half million square miles of outback. Australia is bloody huge! Not far off the size of the US actually. You’d be forgiven for thinking the only way to see it is on a backpacking life journey stretching anywhere between a few months and a few years.
Well, no. You’d be amazed at how far many people managed to get in 2-3 weeks with a set of reliable wheels and a keen attitude for seeing the best sights.
If you’ve got a set time frame to work with, your best bet for doing and seeing exactly what you want in Australia is by hiring your own camper van.
So here are the best East Coast and West Coast Australia road trip Itineraries that’ll suit travellers who are heading Down Under for a few weeks of holiday, or are on a working holiday. The below includes all the best highlights of Australia’s East and West coasts. Both start in the state capitals of Sydney and Perth, where you’ll be able to pick up your campervan.
It’d be a struggle to fit in both journeys in one trip unless you have over a month available so it’s best to choose which side of Oz you want to see first.
East Coast Australia in two weeks
Day 1
Set off from Sydney and drive six hours north to Coffs Harbour, a chilled out coastal town famous for its ‘big banana’ and whale watching. Be sure to stop off on Port Stephen’s amazing beach for a lunchtime barbie, halfway.
Day 2-3
It’s just a three hour drive up the coast from Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay. I would advise spending an extra day in Byron Bay, getting a load of the awesome nightlife and surfing and just generally checking out the unique vibe that the town has to offer.
Day 4
Just an hour from Byron Bay are Gold Coast’s beautiful beaches of Surfer’s Paradise and Burleigh Heads. Hit them via a drive around Springbrook National Park’s amazing plunge pools, waterfalls and rock formations – an hour west of the coast.
Day 5
After a day at the beach, it’s another short drive to Brisbane, where you can spend the night soaking up the cosmopolitan city’s bar scene.
Day 6
It’s time to hit the Sunshine Coast! Set off early in order to give yourself as much time as possible to soak up some sun as you drive north. I recommend you spend most of your day in Noosa, which is bang in between Brissy and your next overnight stop, Rainbow Beach.
Day 7
Lock up the van, get and jump off the mainland to explore Fraser Island. Watch out for the dingoes but do make sure you check out the lagoon lakes such as Lake McKenzie in the centre if you get the chance.
Day 8
It’s a long drive from Rainbow Beach to Airlie today – so I recommend setting off early, switching drivers halfway through and stopping for regular rest breaks… trust me, the view of the Whitsunday islands that greets you as you reach town will be worth it.
Day 9-10
Set sail from Airlie Beach to the amazing Whitsunday Islands on an overnight cruise– although technically not on land, they’re still the highlight of anyone’s East Coast trip. I would go as far as to say it’s the best beach I’ve ever seen.
Day 11
Drive north to Mission Beach via Townsville. Mission Beach may have you glued, so choose to spend the whole of Day 12 here too, or shoot off to Cairns. You need to see the nature around the beach but be careful not to swim in the wrong areas where there’s a risk of being stung by box jellyfish.
Days 12 and 13
Drive the short distance to Cairns, park up the van for the last time, check out the lagoon in the town centre and soak up the best of the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree National Park or Atherton’s waterfalls with separate road trips.
West Coast Australia in two weeks
For many roadtrippers with their own wheels, the West Coast is the best coast. The diversity of experiences available, rare wildlife spotting opportunities and emptiness of more untouched landscapes makes for a more off the beaten path experience.
We’d recommend you allow a bit longer for the West Coast than the East Coast, due to the sheer distance between some remote places on this itinerary.
Having said that, if you’re pushed for time, you could easily spend a few less days on Shark Bay and Exmouth or opt out of exploring the Kimberleys on a tour to keep within two weeks. 17 days is a more suitable fit though.
Day 1
Before you hit the open road, I recommend you head from Perth to Rottnest Island to meet its cute quokka animals and the other unique wildlife on the island.
Day 2
Set off up the West Coast. It’s around a two-hour drive from Perth to Nambung National Park, home to the Pinnacles. After a day exploring here, bed down in your camper in Cervantes, a nice little coastal town nearby.
Day 3
Check out Cervantes’ Thirsty Point for views of the Indian Ocean after brekky, before driving the four and a half hours to Kalbarri, where there are plenty of campsite options.
Day 4:
Simply explore Kalbarri National Park! That’ll take some time and it is worth it.
Day 5
It’s around a four-hour drive to the first of your stops in the beautiful Shark Bay region. First stop, Shell Beach.
Day 6-8
With so many gorgeous beaches and wildlife encounters fit to rival Blue Planet, you’ll want a few days to explore Francois Peron National Park, Monkey Mia’s wild dolphin feeding grounds and Shark Bay’s other sandy coves – they’re all within a short drive of each other.
Day 9
You can drive on to Coral Bay in three hours and pitch up for the night, or choose to rest and have lunch before continuing onto Ningaloo.
Day 10
It’s a short drive from Coral Bay beach to Ningaloo, where you can take part in a memorable activity and spend the day diving with whale sharks, snorkelling with turtles or boat tripping out to see humpback whales. A day you’ll never forget.
Day 11
Drive time between Ningaloo and Exmouth is under two hours. You’ll want to spend a few days in this beach bum’s paradise, soaking up more of the Ningaloo reef, and the marine life you missed at your last stop.
Day 13
It’s an eight hour drive from Ningaloo to Karijini National Park, so make sure you’re well rested – camping overnight under a blanket of stars here is a must.
Days 14 and 15
Rise early to take in Karijini’s landscapes on Day 14. On Day 15, set off on the five hour drive to Port Hedland for an overnight stop. These parts are remote, but there’s plenty of campsites with amenities.
Day 16
Port Hedland to Eighty Mile Beach is a three hour drive. Although the sea is full of nasty wildlife that you wouldn’t want to swim with, sunrise, sunset and the endless empty tidal flats here are made for photo opportunities, beers and general chilling out.
Day 17
On to Broome! Abandon your trusty campervan here, mount one of Australia’s million native camels (imported from the Middle East of course) and ride down Cable Beach.
Days 18-20
Optionally add an off-road adventure in the Kimberley region onto the end of your West Coast roadie. This area needs a 4WD vehicle, so I’d recommend a tour.
My number one tip would be, if you’re camping over the summer: pitch your tent in the shadiest spot so you don’t wake up at 5am and have to take your inflatable bed outside to sleep under the shade of a tree! It can get very hot inside a tent in Australia.
If you’re after a real Aussie adventure, a speedy one-week road trip headed north from Perth cuts the mustard. First drive to Karrijini National park for iconic red rock gorges, natural waterfalls, tree-climbing and camping under the clearest starry sky (so clear you can legit see the galaxies). Then swing back to the coast starting with Exmouth and its incredible coral reefs, swimming with whale sharks and sundowners on the sand dunes. Make your way back to Perth stopping at Coral bay, Monkey Mia, Shelly beach, the pinnacles and back down.
I hope it helps with the perfect itinerary for East and West Coast Australia and happy camping!
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