Backpacking Australia’s East Coast: Memorable Highlights From Sydney to Cairns

Last month, I went backpacking up the Australian East Coast with my two close friends whom I grew up with, Freya and Lucas. We spent a few nights in each place to get a sense of the area, and we had a blast — giggling for the entirety of the trip. Here are my personal and niche highlights from each stop, enjoy!

Sydney

Sydney enticed me more than I’d expected. I was lucky enough to stay with my friend’s family in the heart of Bondi, a trusty five-minute walk away from the beach. This hilly beach town had an air of excitement about it — a vibrant atmosphere that has left me pining for more.

Although a little prestigious compared to Melbourne, with beady eyes following your every move and Botox-heavy lips jutting out in judgment, this grandiose city seemed to be home to a wide range of people — most of whom looked very busy. Whether it was walking along the coastal path, jogging on the beachfront, or running to work, everyone seemed to stride with a sense of purpose.

The atmosphere was a highlight for me. It was riveting and addictive, and despite it being a brief visit, I was intoxicated by the buzz of this city.

Byron Bay

Byron was blissful. After a long and uncomfortable overnight coach journey, we all bundled into Liv’s car and were transported to her lovely house in Lennox Head. Holiday mode set in immediately. I slept well, ate well, and ran most mornings.

It was raining during the majority of our stay here, which felt very grounding. I hadn’t been surrounded by nature for what felt like a long while, so it was very much needed. We explored rainforests during downpours and nestled up to one another on the sofa for movie marathons.

The rain, rest, and recuperation in Byron acted as both a mental and physical reset.

Gold Coast

Having never met my baby niece before, I was buzzing to visit both her and my cousin, Annabel, in the Gold Coast. I stayed in her triangular home near Broadbeach and was scooped up by familial love and home comforts.

My days were filled with gossip with Annabel and playtime with the babe. She was a little ball of energy who clumsily danced around the house and mumbled in her giggly toddler language. We all craved her attention and were happy to take turns looking after her whenever possible.

Brisbane

Brisbane gave me my (very distant) long-lost family. Having been put in touch with my great-great aunt (see?? Very distant), she invited me over for a barbecue dinner with my (probably twice removed) distant cousins. Although a little awkward, it was a lot of fun meeting my relatives, who I shared little similarities with, but who were kind, friendly, and willing to open their house up to me.

Hearing stories about my grandmother, who I unfortunately didn’t know too well, stirred in me a sense of fulfilment — finally getting a picture painted for me about who she was, what she liked, and what she experienced growing up.

I was shown a hand-drawn family tree and passed a pen to fill my section of the map. Commentating whilst writing, I talked about my brother and my cousins, revealing what they are currently up to and how they bear similarities with my third cousins. Connecting with strangers in this manner was a feeling I had never experienced before; it felt rather magical.

Noosa

Our hostel was a dream in Noosa. A free cheese board and a glass of sangria greeted us upon arrival, giving us a pinch of luxury during our frugal trip. The shared living spaces were modern and spotless, and a massive infinity pool filled the outside area. Noosa was our place of rest.

It was here that we met a couple that have become good friends of ours, whom we coincidentally saw all the way up the coast. However, our first meeting was rather embarrassing. Both parties had heard that a free cheese board would be available to us at 7pm, so Freya, Lucas, and I sat wide-eyed, patiently waiting for it to be delivered to our table. Yet before its arrival, a girl working at the hostel led two timid-looking individuals to us, stating that they were also wanting a cheeseboard. We sat next to each other wearing classic “awkward Brit” smiles, fully aware that our shared greediness brought us together.

K’gari

K’gari forced me off my phone. This remote island, which formerly went by the name “Fraser Island”, had no signal, which worked in our favour in many ways. We were forced to actually talk to each other… face to face! Car journeys consisted not of plugging ourselves into our devices and scrolling on social media, but of looking out the window and admiring the views: crashing waves on vast beaches stretching for miles ahead, dingoes roaming in the wild, and lofty, intimidating forests.

Like children, we played ball games on the beach — involving everyone in our group in a game of volleyball. We also tapped into our newfound obsession with AFL, thwacking the ball high in the air and diving onto the sand to catch it. Eyes wide and laughter reverberating over the wild hills, I felt so far away from everything. I was consumed by what felt like childish ignorance that had me feeling both present and free.

Whitsundays

Though living on a boat for two nights had its drawbacks, such as a cramped sleeping arrangement and showers that could only last one minute (if you know me, you know I like to toy with the electricity bill, often having lengthy showers for no important reason), the upsides of the boat trip were monumental.

There we were, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by nothing but sea creatures and stunning views. As we sailed along, we spotted islands which looked like they were straight out of “Moana” in the distance, and we sat huddled together watching the sun rise and set — emitting a fiery assembly of ruddy colours.

The Whitsunday Islands are at the bottom of the Great Barrier Reef, and we were given stinger suits and goggles so that we could snorkel off the boat and see it. Our figures bobbed over the vibrant coral for hours every day, transfixed by the otherworldly views below us.

Magnetic Island

Here, we went on a 10km hike through The Forts — a national rainforest on the coast. This may not have been a totally positive experience, but it was definitely memorable. Our first hurdle was half an hour in, when we stopped for some lunch and Freya had a minor allergic reaction to a pie she had started eating. This could have been worse than it was, considering we had no signal on our phones and only half a litre of water left between all three of us, but Freya made a quick recovery, so we powered on.

Although our resources were diminishing, we ventured forwards in the hope of finding a secluded spot for our newfound love of snorkelling. The only thing keeping us going was the delusional hope that we’d find an ice cream shop and a water fountain waiting for us on the beach, which was an idiotic hope considering that we were in the middle of a national park and there was not a single other human in sight.

When we reached the pretty beach (which, of course, had no water or ice cream), we attempted to snorkel, but the sea was murky and the wind kept blowing the plastic cap on the top of our splash guard over the hole, stopping us from being able to breathe. An unsuccessful venture, to say the least.

After a long sunbathe on the beach, mainly to delay our trek back up the hill, we began our long ascent in the thirty-degree heat. Without any water left, we struggled massively, but relied upon laughter as our coping mechanism to get us to the top.

Cairns

With our new friends in tow, we did our own waterfall tour in Cairns — visiting ones that looked AI-generated, and others that contained turtles and crocodiles.

My favourite was Josephine Falls. Surrounded by slippery rocks and spiky pebbles, this waterfall had a steeply sloping boulder with water cascading over the top. We made an afternoon of climbing to the top of it and nudging ourselves forward so that the water caught us and we could slide down it — often at an alarmingly fast pace. We had hours of fun.

Although I got severely bruised from this hidden spot, the marks served as a short-term reminder of the last few days of our big adventure.

Overall, it was a trip to remember and I’m very grateful that I got to experience all of this with two of my oldest friends.