Australia Itinerary: Brisbane and the Gold Coast

Brisbane and the East Coast, 12 Days

Discover the thriving coastline and verdant hinterlands of southeast Queensland with this 12-day journey taking in the best of the Gold and Sunshine coasts, including the state's flashy capital, Brisbane.

Day 1: Sydney to Gold Coast

From Sydney, take a quick, 80-minute flight to Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta. Pick up a rental car or board a shuttle bus for the coastal hubs of Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, or Southport, and check into your hotel for the next three nights. After a leisurely café lunch, spend the afternoon exploring the area's beautiful beaches and esplanades. The Gold Coast's light rail system, G:Link, will ferry you between different hotspots with ease.

Days 2–3: Gold Coast

Experience the Gold Coast like the locals do by signing up for a surf lesson with Get Wet Surf School at Main Beach. During your two-hour class you're likely to stand up at least once on the board, and get the photos to prove it. Refuel with lunch at Southport's glitzy Marina Mirage and then relax on the beach for the rest of the day.

The following day, make your way over to the Gold Coast's famous theme parks. Drive or catch a shuttle north to Oxenford for Movie World and Wet'n'Wild, or travel another 10 minutes farther up the highway to Coomera for the area's top park, Dreamworld.

Days 4–5: Gold Coast Hinterland

Pack up the car or board a bus for the scenic 90-minute drive via Mount Tamborine to O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. Nestled on the edge of Lamington National Park, O'Reilly's is the perfect base for a range of wilderness experiences, including hiking, birdwatching, a treetop walk, and a legendary evening glowworm tour through the creeks and caves of the hinterland. Spend the night in one of O'Reilly's luxurious villas or under the stars in the adjacent campground, before rising early to complete the two-hour circuit to Python Rock and Moran's Falls, taking in the spectacular views and abundant birdlife along the way. After lunch and bird feeding at O'Reilly's, jump back in the car or reboard your coach and head north for two hours to Brisbane, the region's capital and third-largest city in Australia.

Days 6–8: Brisbane

Spend a day getting to know Queensland's river city. Start with breakfast at one of the many alfresco cafés in the South Bank and West End, before getting your cultural fix at the Queensland Cultural Centre. Treat yourself to sweeping views onboard the Wheel of Brisbane, or join River City Cruises for a sightseeing tour of the area's most famous landmarks. The city's best shopping, dining, and cultural precincts are almost all within walking distance of the CBD, but if the heat gets the better of you, the hop-on, hop-off Brisbane Explorer bus runs a regular service between the inner-city's top attractions.

No visit to Brisbane is complete without a trip to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to cuddle this famous marsupial. Make a day of it by catching the MV Miramar cruise from Brisbane Cultural Centre to Lone Pine, which departs at 10 am. Hand feed kangaroos and emus, take in the sheep dog show, and get your photo with a koala. Upon your return, catch a green cab (rickshaw) or CityCat ferry from South Bank to New Farm, where you can relax with a sunset drink at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

Rise early the following morning to join a day tour from Brisbane to Moreton Island. An easy 75-minute cruise from the Port of Brisbane, you can spend the day snorkeling, kayaking, or sailing in the island's azure waters. Most tours include transfers, lunch, and activities packages, and will have you back at your hotel in Brisbane by nightfall.

Days 9–12: Sunshine Coast

The next morning, drive north on the Bruce Highway for roughly 90 minutes to the Sunshine Coast. This region is less densely populated than its southern counterpart, with larger distances between towns and beaches, so a rental car is your best bet for the final leg of your journey.

Check into a hotel overlooking one of the region's top beaches at Caloundra, Mooloolaba, Coolum, Maroochydoore, or Noosa for the next two nights. After you've settled in, join a tour to the Teewah Coloured Sands, an area of spectacular multicolor dunes outside Noosa. You could also book a river cruise or canoe trip with Noosa Everglades Discovery. In May to November, migrating whales pass through this area; try spotting them from the headland, or treat yourself to an unforgettable whale-watching cruise.

The next morning, make the short journey west to Beerwah, home of Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo. Here you can spend the day getting to know a wide range of Australian animals, including the park's most famous residents: crocodiles. Once you've finished at the park, travel south another 15 minutes to The Glasshouse Mountains Lookout, a place of natural mystique and Aboriginal legend, where a brisk 25-minute walk will reward you with spectacular views across the hinterland.

Head inland to its Sunshine Coast's tranquil hinterland on the final day. Take a guided taste tour of The Ginger Factory or browse the area's famous Eumundi Markets (open only on Wednesday and Saturday). The best of the region's B&Bs and retreats are clustered around Maleny and Montville: picturesque mountain villages full of charming cottage gardens, eclectic shops and cafés, and sweeping views to the coast.

Drive back to Brisbane the following morning and catch a plane back to Sydney.