Road trip along the east coast from Sydney to Cairns.

When to go, and which way

We travelled from 3 to 24 October, exactly three weeks, the three of us: two Belgian friends I met in a hostel in Sydney, and me.

We drove from Sydney to Cairns, but I recommend the opposite. If you leave in October, start in Cairns and head south to Sydney. Up north, the good season is coming to an end in October, while in the south the warm days are arriving. Starting from Cairns, you enjoy the north while the weather is still good, and you finish in Sydney as spring settles in.

We did it the other way simply because I was in Sydney at the time, and that direction fitted our dates. No other reason.

À compléter : la météo que vous avez eue, étape par étape, et la chaleur dans le nord en octobre.

The real budget

Here is what the two big costs of the road trip came to, the campervan and the fuel, for three people over three weeks. In a campervan, with three of you, everything is shared, and that is what makes it such good value.

The JUCY campervan

3,681.36 AUD in total, about 1,227 AUD per person. The breakdown of the bill:

What stands out: the no excess insurance costs almost as much as the rental itself. It is the item that pushes the bill up the most, and the one to compare closely when you book.

Fuel

We filled up nine times for about 4,000 kilometres: 58, 71, 74, 71, 72, 65, 58, 52 and 64 euros.

Total: 585 euros, about 932 AUD, and 195 euros per person.

Campervan and fuel, the total

About 4,614 AUD, or 2,895 € for three, and 1,538 AUD, or 965 €, per person for three weeks on the road.

All prices are in Australian dollars (AUD). Euro conversions at the October 2026 rate, about 1.59 AUD to the euro.

Groceries and tolls

Groceries: 406 euros in total for the three of us over three weeks, about 135 euros per person, 647 AUD for the group. That is the whole point of cooking in the van and on the public barbecues.

Tolls: 28 euros for the whole trip, about 45 AUD.

The rest

Nights were almost all free: we only paid for two campsites, 21 AUD at Rainbow Beach and 50 AUD at Cape Tribulation, for three.

Getting back: 250 AUD for my flight from Cairns to Sydney, once the campervan was returned.

Activities: the Whitsundays cruise at 430 AUD per person, the ferry to Great Keppel at 65 AUD return, snorkel and mask hire at 15 AUD, and the night walk in the Daintree at 55 AUD per person.

The total budget

For three weeks of road trip, almost everything included, that comes to about 112 AUD per day and per person, or 70 €. Not including the flight back or the boat tour in the Daintree.

My itinerary, stop by stop

The rhythm is easy to remember: usually one night per place, and two when a stop deserved it or when we had to fit around a booking. Here is the full route, from Sydney up to the Daintree, then back to Cairns to return the campervan.

Less than three weeks? It is doable, but you will have to cut a lot of stops. And even with three weeks, time was tight: there are places where we would have loved to stay longer, and it simply was not possible. If you can give yourself a few extra days, take them.

Sydney, the start

When we hit the road, I had been in Sydney for a month, at the start of my working holiday. That is where, in a hostel, I met my two travel companions. We picked up the campervan from JUCY on the morning of Saturday 3 October and headed north.

Newcastle, the first night

First night near Newcastle, next to a sand dune.

À compléter : le nom de l'endroit et ce que vous y avez fait.

Port Macquarie

One night.

On the road from Newcastle, we stopped by a huge beach, perfect for flying the drone.

À compléter : le nombre exact de nuits si tu veux le préciser, ce que vous y avez fait et ton coup de cœur.

Byron Bay

It is one of the two most beautiful runs I have done in my life.

Two nights around Byron Bay. And a run I highly recommend: the coastal path that climbs up to the lighthouse. It is one of the two most beautiful runs I have done in my life.

And during that run on the coastal path, we spotted a koala in the trees. A real bonus.

À compléter : ce que vous avez fait d'autre, et où vous dormiez.

Gold Coast

One night near the Gold Coast.

The Gold Coast did not really win me over. Surfers Paradise is quite nice, but I preferred places like Byron Bay or Noosa, which stayed with me much more.

Brisbane

Two nights at a friend's place, who happened to be in Brisbane at the time. A real bed, and two evenings off for the budget.

À compléter : ce que vous avez vu de la ville.

Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast

One night. And the other run of my life: the Noosa National Park walk along the coast. If you run, do not miss it.

À compléter : ce que vous avez fait d'autre à Noosa et sur la Sunshine Coast.

Rainbow Beach

One night, at a national park campsite near Rainbow Beach: 7 AUD per person, so 21 AUD to park the campervan for one night for three. No facilities at all though, no shower or anything else.

À compléter : ce que vous avez fait à Rainbow Beach et ton coup de cœur.

Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy

One night in Agnes Water, next to the beach at Seventeen Seventy, often written 1770. In the morning, we went kayaking right by the beach.

À compléter : le nombre exact de nuits si tu veux le préciser, ce que vous y avez fait et ton coup de cœur.

Rockhampton and Great Keppel Island

A long day of driving to reach Rockhampton. That day, we took a trip to Great Keppel Island, and it is one of the most beautiful islands I have seen in Australia. For the night, we found a free car park right in the centre of Rockhampton where we could sleep in the van.

For Great Keppel, budget 65 AUD per person for the return ferry, and a full day on the island. You can hire a mask and snorkel for 15 AUD, and it is worth it.

The ferry leaves from Keppel Bay Marina. We took the 9:30 am one, about a 35 minute crossing, and the return was at 4 pm: the day goes by very fast.

Once there, we discovered two beaches, Fisherman's Beach and Long Beach, which is stunning, and we went on a long walk along the coast.

Airlie Beach

Two nights, to time our arrival with the departure of the cruise.

Airlie Beach is above all the starting point for cruises, and the town does the job very well: a nice centre, houses perched on the hills, a pretty harbour, and plenty to do around while you wait to sail.

The Whitsunday Islands cruise

Two days on a sailing boat, with one night on board, leaving from Airlie Beach. On the programme: Whitehaven Beach and its lookout, then three snorkelling spots on the Great Barrier Reef, among the most beautiful I have ever done. It is one of the two moments most worth the detour of the whole trip. I tell you everything, the boat, the price and the programme, in my guide to the Whitsundays cruise.

Wallaman Falls

We got back on the road to Wallaman Falls, described as the highest permanent waterfall in Australia. Unfortunately it was raining, and we did not see it.

À compléter : où vous avez dormi ce soir là.

Palm Cove

One hour as we passed through on the way up, then one night on the way back from the Daintree.

À compléter : ce que tu as pensé de Palm Cove.

Port Douglas

One night.

Very nice, but small: two main streets, a lovely beach and a lovely marina. Perfect for one night, before heading up into the Daintree.

The Daintree rainforest

We drove the campervan all the way up to Cape Tribulation, and slept at the PK's Jungle Village campsite: 50 AUD for three. It is a remote area, and a campsite is really worth it there, if only to have a shower: outside the campsites, there are none.

We did a one hour boat tour on the river to try and see crocodiles. We did not see any, and honestly it was nothing special: if you have to choose, keep your budget for the night walk.

On the other hand, the guided night walk with a local guide, the Night Walk Spotlighting tour by Cape Tribulation Daintree, was the other big moment of the trip. He explained so much about the forest, we saw a huge amount of wildlife and plants, and at night all your senses are heightened. I recommend it two hundred percent.

Budget 55 AUD per person for the night walk.

Cairns, the end of the road

Back to Cairns to return the campervan. We did not go back to the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns: we had already snorkelled it during the Whitsundays cruise.

After returning the campervan, I stayed four days in Cairns. But at the end of October, it is no longer really the right season to linger there, so I flew back to Sydney: 250 AUD for the flight from Cairns to Sydney.

The campervan and the road

We rented a converted campervan from JUCY, picked up on the morning of Saturday 3 October in Banksmeadow, in the south of Sydney, and returned in Cairns on Saturday 24. On the clock at the end: about 4,000 kilometres.

Driving on the left becomes natural much faster than you think. After a few minutes, it is automatic.

Kangaroos, on the other hand, are a real issue. We saw some by the side of the road at dusk, and that is when they cross. Slow down as soon as it gets dark, and avoid driving at night whenever you can.

Speed limits change often: follow the signs, even when the road is empty.

The long straight roads are more tiring than you imagine. Only drive when you are fresh: tiredness at the wheel is where it gets dangerous. Take turns if there are several of you, and take breaks.

The apps that helped me: Google Maps for navigation, PetrolSpy to find the cheapest fuel along the way, and Toilet Finder to locate public toilets, a real comfort in a campervan.

The campervan is pretty well equipped: a kitchen, a fridge, one bed downstairs and another upstairs. It sleeps up to four if you squeeze in, and for three it was really practical.

Where to stay

On a tight budget, we mostly slept in the campervan, at free rest areas and car parks where you are allowed to spend the night. It takes a bit of organisation: finding a free, legal spot every evening is not always easy. The Wikicamps app helped us a lot to find them.

We only paid for two nights on the whole trip:

A national park campsite near Rainbow Beach, at 7 AUD per person, so 21 AUD for three with the campervan. No facilities, no shower.

The PK's Jungle Village campsite at Cape Tribulation, in the Daintree, at 50 AUD for three. There, the shower was very welcome, in such a remote area.

In Brisbane, we were lucky enough to sleep two nights at a friend's place.

Daily life in a campervan

Eating. We did our shopping at the supermarket, and cooked in the campervan or on the free public barbecues. You find them everywhere in Australia, in parks and near beaches, and they are really handy when you travel by campervan.

Showering. There are beach showers, where you are normally not supposed to use products like soap or shampoo. Sometimes there are showers in public toilets. And either way, be ready: the water is often quite cold.

Laundry. You will find laundromats in some towns, so plan them along the route.

Phone signal. I had a Boost Mobile SIM card, an Australian provider that uses the Telstra network. It worked pretty well, except in a few remote places.

Budget wise, we spent 406 euros on groceries for the three of us over three weeks: the details are in the budget section.

Crocodiles and jellyfish: where to swim

As you head north, you will see lots of signs warning about crocodiles and jellyfish. They are there for a good reason.

Generally speaking, you should not swim in this part of Australia. Even in Cairns, during jellyfish season, swimming is not recommended. Always follow the signs and local advice, and check the season before you go: it all depends on the time of year.

In the Whitsunday Islands, we had a wetsuit for snorkelling during the cruise. In October, the jellyfish there are not dangerous, but things change with the season: check with the crew if you go at another time of year.

Not to be missed

If I could only keep two moments from these three weeks, it would be these.

The Whitsunday Islands cruise. Two days on a sailing boat, Whitehaven Beach and three snorkelling spots on the Great Barrier Reef. It is all in my guide to the Whitsundays cruise.

The night walk in the Daintree rainforest, with a local guide. You discover a completely different forest once night falls, with someone who knows it by heart. I recommend it two hundred percent.

And a bonus island: Great Keppel Island, one of the most beautiful I have seen in Australia.

For runners, two runs I highly recommend, the two most beautiful of my life: the Byron Bay coastal path up to the lighthouse, and the Noosa National Park walk along the coast.

À compléter : les activités que tu peux sauter, et celles qui ne valaient pas leur prix.

Mistakes to avoid

Planning too much in advance. That is exactly the freedom of a campervan: once on the road, you will want to stay longer in one place, or skip another. Leave yourself some slack.

But do book what can sell out. The Whitsundays cruise has to be booked in advance. The same goes for other popular activities, like a skydive or a scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef: in high season, plan a little ahead, they can fill up quickly.

À compléter : les autres pièges de la route, des réservations ou du budget.