Two Week Sydney to Cairns Itinerary

The east coast of Australia has some incredible places to explore, from pristine beaches, exceptional national parks and bustling cities. There is a lot to see from Sydney to Cairns in two weeks but it can be done – trust me – I’ve done it! If you have longer to spare, its definitely worth stretching out this trip to see more of what Australia has to offer. But if you only have 14 days to see the Sydney Opera House, koala bears and the Great Barrier Reef, then this itinerary is for you.

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Best way to travel from Sydney to Cairns

Before we get into the itinerary, let’s talk about transport. Sydney to Cairns is a long way. Its a huge 2,651km (1,657 miles)! To put that into context for European readers that’s a similar distance to travelling from Brussels, Belgium to Istanbul, Turkiye – or for our North American friends, it’s comparable to the distance from New York City to Houston Texas. So what is the best way to tackle all those miles?

Sydney to Cairns Road Trip by Car or Campervan

Driving from Sydney to Cairns would take around 30 hours. If you want to do this in two weeks, that works out as just over 2 hours driving a day, or around 4 hours every other day as you wouldn’t drive everyday. This doesn’t sound too bad but in reality, the places you want to visit are unlikely to be that evenly spaced out. I’ve included the distances and drive times in this itinerary but if you are driving, I’d recommend spreading this road trip out over a longer time period and making more stops.

Pros to travelling by car or campervan
More freedom
Costs can be split if travelling in a small group

Cons to travelling by car or campervan
Expensive to hire a car or campervan one way

Best method for 
Longer road trips (if you have more than two weeks)
Couples or small groups.

Sydney to Cairns by Train

Taking the train may be the most comfortable option. It’s a smoother ride than a bus and far less tiring than driving. Some journeys even offer sleeper trains with beds! To me this sounded like the best option until I looked into booking it and realised there aren’t actually train stations in all the places I wanted to go and once you get into Queensland (Brisbane to Cairns), the trains don’t run everyday. Again, I’ve included train instructions in this itinerary but it might require more carefully planning as to which day of the week you can travel.

Pros to travelling by train
Comfortable

Cons to travelling by train
Can be expensive
Not a lot of flexibility with times, dates and destinations.

Best method for 
Those with more time
Travellers who like to prioritise comfort

Sydney to Cairns by Bus

Now this is the option that we took. I don’t think its necessarily the best, no one really wants to sit on a coach for 30+hours (not all at once thankfully) but it worked out the cheapest and most efficient for the short time frame.

We bought East Coast Whimit Passes with the Greyhound bus. Greyhound offer regular services, often multiple times a day along the east coast. The Whimit pass allows you to pay for a pass and then decide your itinerary and trains later – on a whim if you like. Its similar to an Interrail Pass on European trains.

However, we found that the buses we wanted to book were often fully booked, even a couple of weeks in advance (this was in the summer months). If you know your plan, book as soon as you can, you can always change your bus later if you change your mind and another has availability. I travelled with my partner and we would often find that one of us managed to book the last seat and the other couldn’t book so we had to change plan. At one point we just had to get separate buses. Seats are assigned and we never managed to sit together! Luckily everyone was lovely on the bus, they were all pretty much full of British backpackers and gap year travellers. 

Pros to travelling by bus
Lots of options for times, dates and stops.
Reasonably flexible ticket options.
Cheapish

Cons to travelling by bus
Not the most comfortable way to travel 

Best for
Solo travels
Backpackers

Sydney to Cairns Road Trip Itinerary

So now its time to get into the plan! As I mentioned we took the Greyhound bus but I’ll give instructions for train and car travel as well throughout this itinerary.

Day 1 – Sydney

Sydney in a day might sound like a squeeze but my Sydney Self-guided Walking Tour Route packs in a lot in just one day – just be prepared to do a lot of walking! The guide includes:

• Sydney Opera House
• Botanical Gardens
• Victoria Building
• Darling Harbour

If you still have energy after exploring the city, take the bus (or train and bus) to Bondi Beach. This is a little beach town, a great place to relax if the weather is right for it. Alternatively, go for a coastal stroll along the cliff edge from Bondi to Coogee Beach. From there you can catch a bus back to Sydney. 

Where to Stay in Sydney
Hostel: Wake Up! Sydney Central
Budget Hotel: Siesta Sydney
Apartment: Meriton Suites
Place with Parking: Sydney Central Hotel

Day 2 – Sydney & Blue Mountains

On Day two, take the train from Sydney to Kootomba to visit the Blue Mountains National Park. From Kootomba train station, stroll downhill past an array of independent shops and cafes, towards the Echo Point Visitor Centre. This is roughly a 30 minute walk from the train station but there is a bus. From here there are several hikes that you can take, depending on your fitness level and how much walking you want to do.

The Three Sisters rock formation is probably what the park is best known for. The viewpoint isn’t far from the visitor centre so definitely worth a look. Unfortunately the day we visiting, the view was completely blocked with a dense fog!

Not put off by the fog, we preserved in our search for a view and started to descend the Giant’s Staircase. This was a very very long way down – it took us 30-40 minutes of continuous walking to reach the bottom of the steps! Luckily we didn’t have to walk back up that way as we followed a trail towards Ferber Steps and Kootomba Falls. This trail took around 2 hours and led us back into the town. 

Grab some food in Kootomba or head back into Sydney for dinner.

In the evening, get the night bus, train or collect your vehicle for our first move.

Bus: Night bus from Sydney to Surfer’s Paradise, Gold Coast – 7pm – 9am

Train: 14:41 train from Sydney to Casino Station (arrives 02:19 am), 02:36 bus from Casino to Surfer’s Paradise, arrive at 05:26. Alternatively, you can stay on this train to arrive in Brisbane around 4am. You could visit the Gold Coast as a day trip. 

Car: Sydney to Surfer’s Paradise is a 10 hour drive so I would recommend not doing this over night. Maybe drive to Newcastle or Port Macquarie first, staying over night there then driving on the next day. You could also stop off in Coff’s Harbour and Byron Bay on the way.

Day 3 – Surfer’s Paradise & Springbrook

Time to visit the second National Park, Springbrook National Park. This is where the UK version of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here is filmed, but don’t expect to see any signs of the set!

The easiest way to get there is to hire a car – if you haven’t already. In Surfer’s Paradise, we found the cheapest day hire for a car was from OCR Car Rentals. From here, Springbrook is just less than an hours drive. From Brisbane and Byron Bay, Springbrook National Park is around 1.5 hours drive. 

If driving isn’t an option for you, there are tours you can take but they will likely work out more expensive. Click here for the details of a tour with pick up from Surfer’s Paradise/Gold Coast. Click here for details of a tour with pick up from Brisbane.

In Springbrook, I’d recommend:

• Twin Falls – 5km easy hike to waterfalls and a pool that you can swim in.
• ‘Best of All Lookout’ – not sure it is the best in the entire world but likely one of the best views of Springbrook!
• Natural Bridge – a shorter hike, 1-2km along a well-maintained path to large rock eroded to create a natural bridge

If you still have plenty of your day left, head north to Tambourine Mountain. This is roughly one hour from Springbrook. Here you’ll find Glowworm Caves, a Rainforest Skywalk and plenty of wildlife! 

We did the Curtis Falls Track (roughly 1 hour). This involved crossing a creek over stepping stones which was fun but might not be for everyone! We also saw a baby wallaby, goannas (big lizards) and lots of butterflies.

If you’re taking the bus or train route, head back to Surfer’s Paradise/Brisbane and return your car either than evening or in the morning. 

If you’re taking the driving route, either stay nearby or Surfer’s Paradise for the night or head on to Brisbane (1 hour drive from Tambourine Mountain)

Where to Stay in Surfer’s Paradise
Hostel: Bunk Surfers Paradise 
Budget Hotel: Mantra on View Hotel
Apartment: Trickett Gardens Holiday Inn
Place with Parking: Trickett Gardens Holiday Inn

Day 4 – Surfer’s Paradise & Brisbane

Spend your morning in Surfer’s Paradise. Relax on the beach, explore the shops and restaurants on Cavill Avenue or head up to the SkyPoint observation deck for views across the Gold Coast.

In the afternoon head to Brisbane! If you end up staying near Roma St Station and don’t want to stray too far for the evening, head to Caxton Street. There you’ll find a row of lively bars and restaurants.

Bus: 5:45pm – 7pm

Train: There is no direct train from Surfer’s Paradise to Brisbane, so you’ll need to get a bus for this leg. If you’re taking the train option for this route, you may have skipped Surfer’s Paradise anyway. 

Car: Surfer’s Paradise to Brisbane takes around 1-2 hours to drive.

Where to Stay in Brisbane
Hostel: Brisbane Quarters
Budget Hotel: George Williams Hotel
Apartment: Central Cosmo Apartment Hotel
Place with Parking: George Williams Hotel

Day 5 – Brisbane

Spending just one full day in Brisbane may seem like cutting it short but you would be surprised how much you can fit in. The free CityHopper ferry which takes passengers across the river definitely helps to get around the city quickly.

Click here to view my self-guided walking tour route for Brisbane

If you don’t fancy the walking tour, here are a few things to do and see in Brisbane for you to pick and choose from. I’ve included rough time to spend there and what’s nearby so you can plan out your day.

Brisbane City Hall & Museum of Brisbane
A great place to start is Brisbane’s City Hall. The building’s influence from Italian architecture makes it appear much older than its 95 years. It’s tall clock tower was once the highest structure in Brisbane but it has long been overtaken by the many surrounding skyscrapers. Inside the City Hall, you’ll find the Museum of Brisbane where you can discover more about the city’s rapid expansion. There are also art galleries and interactive exhibits. Entry is free, so well worth a look!
Time: 1 hour
Location: Centre

City Botanic Gardens
A huge park alongside the river front with ponds, a bamboo grove, weeping figs and plenty of flora and fauna. A great spot to relax and have a picnic. You can join a volunteer-led guided walk or use this guide to explore by yourself. 
Time: 30-60 minutes
Location: Centre

South Bank Parklands
Another river-side park but perhaps with a little more going on this side of the river! Here you will spot the famous ‘Brisbane’ sign just but the Victoria Bridge. Head past the sign, along the riverside through the park and you’ll reach the Streets Beach. If you’re visiting in the summer and fancy a rest, bring your swimming costume and towel and spend a few hours lounging around the lagoon.
Time: 60-120 minutes
Location: South Bank

Collection Markets
If you are visiting Brisbane at the weekend, you will find a street market filled with crafts, clothes and jewellery sellers. The market pops up on the street behind the Streets Beach so if you’re in the area Friday – Sunday it’s worth a visit.
Time: 30 minutes
Location: South Bank

Howard Smith Wharves
If you need a bite to eat or fancy a drink, Howard Smith Wharves is a good place to go. The converted wharves now house several restaurants, bars and a brewery. Most places offer views over the river. The CityHopper ferry makes a stop here so it’s easy to reach from the river. If approaching from land, there is an elevator down from Fortitude Valley
Time: 90-120 minutes
Location: Fortitude Valley

Day 6 – Australia Zoo

Initially you might not expect to include a day at the zoo on a two week itinerary but Australia Zoo isn’t just any zoo. Australia Zoo is Steve Irwin’s Zoo. If like me you grew up watching the Crocodile Hunter, this is a must visit! The zoo is now ran by Steve’s wife Terry and their Children. Unfortunately we didn’t see any of the family on our visit but we did catch sight of crocodiles, giant tortoises and koala bears. There were also free roaming and very chill kangaroos that you could lounge around with a pet if you’re feeling brave!

The best way to reach the zoo using public transport is to take the train from Brisbane Central Station to Beerwah. From here there is a free shuttle bus that will take you to the zoo. You may have to call the bus to let them know you are there, as we did but it arrived soon after.

There are huge luggage lockers at the zoo so you can take all your bags with you and not have to worry about lugging them around the park.

After the zoo, I’d recommend heading up to Noosa. If you want to stay somewhere closer, I’d also recommend Mooloolaba, a chill beach town along the Sunshine Coast (30 min drive or 1 hour on the 615 bus).

Bus: There’s no greyhound bus stop near the zoo so you can either:

• Get the train back to Brisbane (which is the opposite direction) then the greyhound to Noosa
• Get the 615 bus from outside the zoo to Mooloolaba and get the Greyhound to Noosa from there the next morning
• Or take a train and public bus to Noosa as below:

Train: Beerwah to Nambour by train (30 minutes) then take the 631 bus to Noosa Junction (1 hour 20 minutes)

Car: Brisbane to Australia Zoo takes around 1.5 hours to drive. The zoo to Noosa is around 1 hour. 

Where to Stay in Noosa
Hostel: Halse Lodge
Budget Hotel: Halse Lodge
Apartment: Myuna Holiday Apartments
Place with Parking: Halse Lodge

Day 7 – Noosa

Noosa is one of my favourite towns on this itinerary. Its a cool little beach town with plenty of activities, a stunning national park and it is home to one of only two everglade ecosystems in the world! The other of course, being in Florida, USA.

I highly recommend going to visit the everglades. These are a little out of town. The best way to get there is to either hire a car for the day or book on to the everglades tour which includes pick up and drop off in Noosa. This tour includes a boat cruise and canoe rental. Be sure to book in advance as it does fill up. Also, be aware that canoe rental is weather dependent, if it’s too windy you may not be able to go out. However, this is a walking trail that runs alongside the everglades that you could do instead. 

If the everglades aren’t your thing, you could instead relax on the beach, take a surfing lesson or even book a whale watching trip! Click here to read more about things to do in Noosa.

In the evening, head for a bite to eat at the original Betty’s Burgers. By this point in the trip you might have seen this burger chain a few times but Noosa is home to the first! 

Day 8 – Noosa & night bus to Airlie Beach

During your second day in Noosa, start early to make the most of Noosa National Park. This is a coast park with 5 different walking trails intersecting through woodland and along cliffs overlooking the dramatic coastline. I’d recommend starting on the coastal track, heading towards Hell’s Gate.

Make sure you wear your swimming costume under your clothes during your trip to the park as you won’t want to miss a dip in the fairly pools. These are natural tide pools formed in the rocks and filled up by the crashing waves. They aren’t marked on the park’s official map but you can see them on Google maps so they aren’t too hard to find, they’re just off the main trail. 

If you’re taking the greyhound, head over to Noosa Junction around 11am to grab some brunch before getting on the longest leg of the trip. I’d recommend Canteen for a nice bite to eat before a grueling 18 hour journey. If you have the days to spare and would rather split up this journey, get the bus to Rainbow Beach (3 hours) or Hervey Bay (5 hours) and take a tour of K’gari (formerly known as Fraser Island). From Hervey Bay there would still be a 12 hour overnight bus to Airlie Beach.

Bus: Noosa to Airlie Beach 11:50 – 6am 

Train: This option only runs Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Take a taxi to Cooroy station (30 mins), then take the night train from 5:55pm to arrive in Proserpine at 7:16am. From there take a taxi to Airlie Beach (30 minutes)

Car: Noosa to Airlie Beach is an 11 hour drive so I absolutely wouldn’t recommend tackling it in one go. Hopefully you have the days to spare to take this a little slower. I’d recommend on this day driving up to Hervey Beach (2 hours) and maybe stopping at Rainbow Beach along the way. Stay the night there and in the morning go on a tour to K’gari. In the evening, drive on a little bit before just stopping for the night, maybe in Gladstone Central (3hrs). The next day, drive on to Airlie beach (7 hours) but take plenty of stops along the way. You could visit Blackdown Tableland National Park (a bit of a detour), Capricorn Caves and Cedar Creek Falls. This will add an extra two days to the itinerary. 

Day 9 – Whitsundays

Once you arrive in Airlie beach, drop off your backs at your hotel then head straight out on a tour to Whitsundays. Whitsundays is a famous pristine beach with silica white sands and clear turquoise water. Depending on the tour you book, you may be able to go paddle-boarding and snorkelling there. Otherwise there is always the option to relax on the beach and hike up a short trail to a hilltop view point. There are also options to see the islands from the sky in small plane and helicopter rides.

Click here to look at Whitsundays tour options

Where to Stay in Airlie Beach
Hostel: Bounce
Budget Hotel: Airlie Guest House
Apartment: Sea Star Apartments
Place with Parking: Airlie Guest House

Day 10 – Townsville & Magnetic Island

Bus: Airlie Beach – Townsville 7:10 – 12:10

Train: Taxi to Proserpine then 7:16 train to Townsville arriving 10:25 (this only runs Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday).

Car: In the morning drive 3 hours to Townsville.

Once you have arrived in Townsville, drop your luggage off at your hotel and head to the ferry terminal and purchase a return ticket to Magnetic Island. This is a beautiful island full of wildlife just off the coast of Townsville. If you are driving, you can take your car on the ferry but the island is also easy to get around by bus and on foot. Make sure you make a note of what time the last ferry is due to leave the island, you don’t want to miss this!

Once on the island, take the bus up to the Forts Walking Track. This is around a 5km walk through the woodland passing by some forts used in World War II. Keep an eye on the trees during your walk as you may be lucky enough to see some wild koalas. During the walk, you’ll also get stunning views from the Arthurs Bay and Florence Bay Lookout points.

Head back to the road to jump back on the bus to Arcadia. A short walk from here will bring you to Armand Way where you are sure to find a population of rock wallabies. These look like mini kangaroos and are very tame, but try not to disturb them!

From here you can walk back to Nelly Bay to get the last ferry back to Townsville and maybe even grab some fish and chips while you wait.

Where to Stay in Townsville
Hostel:  Civic Guesthouse
Budget Hotel: Beach House Motel
Apartment: The Pier Pods
Place with Parking: Beach House Motel

Day 11 – Cairns

Bus: Final Greyhound! Townsville to Cairns 08:00 – 13:40

Train: Townsville to Cairns 10:40 – 17:55 (this only runs Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday).

Car: In the morning drive 4 hours to Cairns (you will pass by Paronella Park and waterfalls along the way so you might want to visit these on this journey, rather than on Day 13).

For your first afternoon in Cairns, take some time to relax, it will have been a lot of days of travelling by this point! If you’re itching to explore, take a stroll along the seafront esplanade or explore the Botanic Gardens. In the evening visit the Cairns Night Markets.

Where to Stay in Cairns
Hostel: Travellers Oasis
Budget Hotel: Queens Court
Apartment: Cairns Colonial Club Resort
Place with Parking: Queens Court

Day 12 – Great Barrier Reef

When you’re this close to one of the seven wonders of the natural world, you have to visit! There are several ways to explore the natural reef from Cairns. You can fly over the reef or get up close by heading out on a boat and diving.

We opted for a ferry to Green Island. From there, we did a small glass bottom boat tour, hiked around the island and snorkelled just off the beach. Green Island is a small island and national park situated within the reef, around 45 minutes off the coast from Cairns.

Click here for more info on the tour to Green Island

Day 13 – Paronella Park & Waterfalls

For your final two days in Cairns, I’d recommend hiring a car if you don’t already have one and are able to. If you don’t drive or don’t feel confident hiring a car, you can do this day trip as part of a guided tour with transport included. Click here for more information on tours.

The highlight of this day is a trip to the mysterious Paronella Park. This is a huge villa and waterfall hidden away amongst a forest. When we visited we were greeted by the current owner who shared the fascinating history of the house. I’ll not give too many details away here but it was built by a farmer from Spain, José Paronella, who first came to Australia to build his fortune to impress a senorita back home. After a decade away, he returned to Spain to find she was already married to someone else. He married her sister instead and brought her back to Australia and together in 1929 they started to build their home and their family together in Paronella park. 

In its heyday, Parnella Park was open to the public for movie nights, parties and dances. However, things took a turn in the 1940s with a flood and the death of Jose. The park has also since suffered fires, cyclones and abandonment. It is now open once more and being lovingly looked after and its unique history celebrated. It is a remarkable place to find hidden in rural Queensland and 100% worth a visit.

Paronella park is around 1.5 hours from Cairns, but you can break up the drive by stopping at Josephine Falls along the way.

On the way back to Cairns, go a slightly different route to visit Mungalli, Zillie and Millaa Millaa Falls. The latter of which you might recognise from Peter Andre’s Mysterious Girl music video! Further into the return trip, you could also stop off at Crater Lakes National Park. 

Day 14 – Barron Gorge National Park

Again, this day can be a mini road trip or you can take a tour or even use public transport.

Start with a hike in Barron Gorge National Park. We hiked around Stoney Creek and up to Glacier Rock. After the hike we drove up a little further to the Barron Falls viewpoint. Also in the area, is the Kuranda Scenic Railway and the Skyrail Forest Cableway so plenty of ways to view the landscape!

If you aren’t driving you can actually ride the scenic railway all the way from Cairns to Barron Falls. This does take 1.5 hours though, whereas driving is around 40 minutes. 

If this is your last day in Cairns, hopefully you can squeeze in a morning hiking before heading home or to your next stop.

If you are continuing on your travels from here, great places to go next would be Fiji or Bali – good spots to relax and recuperate after all the long bus journeys! Or if you fancy more road trips, I highly recommend New Zealand. 

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