Brisbane
Two booking options: activities only, or the full thing with hostels and bus pass rolled in. Want to start in Sydney or Melbourne instead? You can add that on at the start, just drop us a line and we'll sort it.
Australia Zoo from Brisbane, dolphin kayak in Byron, skydive in Airlie, Daintree and Cape Tribulation from Cairns, Blue Mountains from Sydney. Tell us what's catching your eye and we'll quote it.
Welcome to Queensland. You'll head up the coast to Rainbow Beach, check into Freedom Hostel for two nights, and start easing into holiday brain. Free pancake breakfasts and free guided walks to the Carlo Sandblow are part of the deal here, which is a nice way to land.
Quick morning briefing at Freedom Hostel, then by 9:30am you're on the barge across to K'gari. From the landing it's an hour up 75 Mile Beach (an actual highway with actual speed limits) to Eurong Beach Resort for a coffee stop.
Then the main event: Lake McKenzie. Lunch, swim, lake hang. After that you drive up to your beach campsite for an early dinner and well-earned drinks.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Big day. Breakfast, then off to Eli Creek for a swim in water so clear it feels fake. Travelling north, you stop at the Maheno Shipwreck for photos and a quick history lesson, then push on to Indian Head, K'gari's highest point.
Whales and sharks are sometimes visible from the cliff (lucky if you cop it). Then Champagne Pools for a dip in the natural rock pools that fizz when the surf rolls in. Lunch lands at either Maheno or Champagne Pools depending on tides. Back to camp for dinner and drinks.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Breakfast, pack down camp, then drive to the start of the Lake Wabby walk. The trek through the dunes is the bit that makes you stop and look around. Lunch follows, then back down the beach to the barge.
Once you're on the mainland, drop off the 4WDs and you're back at Freedom Hostel between 3 and 5pm depending on tides.
Meals: breakfast, lunch.
You're sleeping on a bus tonight. Snacks recommended.
Airlie has a reputation for a reason. Bars, restaurants and clubs that go late, plus skydiving and jet skis if you want to earn your beers. Or just have a quiet day, we won't judge.
The big one. Two hours on Whitehaven Beach (yes, the silica sand one), the walk up to Hill Inlet Lookout for the swirling sand pattern photo, and up to four snorkel stops on the fringing reef around the islands. All inside Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Bushwalks, lookouts, more snorkelling, lots of nothing. The Prosail crew cook for you, which is honestly a relief by this point. Three full days on the boat means the trip never feels rushed.
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Final morning on the boat with that clear sea air. The yacht has hot showers, hammocks, USB charging and thicker snorkel suits in cooler months (it's an ex-racing yacht, so genuinely well kitted out). Back to Airlie around 3:30pm. Reserved table at the after-party with drink discounts and meal deals if you've still got it in you.
Meals: breakfast, lunch.
Bus to Townsville, then a ferry across to Magnetic Island (extra cost for the ferry). Check in for two nights and find a beach.
Free day. Horseshoe Bay and Picnic Bay are the standouts. The island has a koala population, rock wallabies, and over 180 bird species, which is a lot of bird species. Hike, kayak, or just don't.
Ferry back to Townsville, then north to Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree. Check into your Cairns accommodation for two nights. If skydiving, bungy or rafting is calling, ask us, we know the operators.
Boarding at 7:30am for a full day on the outer reef. Two reef locations, six hours in the water with snorkel gear (and your one included intro scuba dive if you've never tried it before). There's a glass-bottom boat tour and a marine biologist talk too, which sounds nerdy but is genuinely interesting once you're in it.
Meals: breakfast, lunch.
That's it. Goodbye to the friends you've made on the boat, the campsite and the ferry. Fiji or New Zealand next? Just saying.
This package has select departure dates. Have a chat with our travel specialists about your preferred dates so we can line everything up.
Departs: Brisbane or Cairns. Returns: Cairns or Brisbane.
The bus + package price uses a specific bus pass picked to fit the trip length. Want a different trip length or transport setup? Contact us and we'll work it out.
Peak season pricing is slightly higher, which you'll see reflected on the booking. Any questions, ask.
Love this package but have some questions? No worries!
Here is a list of some of the most frequently asked questions about our packages.
Don't see yours here? Contact us to find out more.
It is no problem to customize your package to suit your travel plans by adding/removing anything that you wish. If you wish to make changes, please contact us via email hello@backpackersworld.com, or live chat and we will be more than happy to assist you by providing you with an updated itinerary/package inclusions/price.
This trip consists of a combination of tours and hostels, selected to fit in with your chosen style of travel (budget or flexi flashpacker). Whilst this means that you will not be with the same group of people for the entire duration of your tour, you will be with a group for each tour that you do, and it is very likely that the people that you do the tours with will be booked in the same accommodation in the area. As travellers often travel to similar destinations, it is likely that you will see some of these people, again and again, throughout your tour!
We book all of your tours/accommodation on your behalf and you will be given a voucher for each with all of the information needed ie travel date and pick up location/time. For your buses, we provide you with a bus ticket which has all of the individual departure and arrival times/details.
As Backpackers World Travel is one of the largest travel agencies in Australia, these packages are heavily discounted. Should you need any extra guidance, we are always on hand to help!
This is the most popular way of travel for backpackers along the East Coast, whether you are a solo traveller or travelling in a group of friends - it is the perfect way to meet other travellers and get the most out of your East Coast trip!
All of our packages include some meals (you can find the included meals in the inclusions and in the day-to-day itinerary) which means that you will only have to budget for the meals that are not included. The amount that these meals will cost vary however all of the hostels have communal kitchens so you can cook your own meals instead of eating out. Some travellers will only spend an extra $5 a day whereas some will spend an extra $50!
Due to limited availability in hostels and on tours we recommend that you book your package as far in advance as possible to guarantee availability on your chosen dates.
We hand-pick the best selection of hostels on the East Coast that are available for your travel dates. We include 6-8 bed dorms in the package price however double/twin share room upgrades are available at an additional cost. Please contact us with your preferred travel date and package name if you would like a price to upgrade to double/twin share rooms.
This package is available to depart most days of the week (subject to availability). To check availability for your preferred departure date please ask us on live chat, give us a call on +61 2 9070 1025 or send us an email at hello@backpackersworld.com. Alternatively you can book directly on the website by selecting your preferred date and we will reply within 48 hours with a booking confirmation or a secondary option that suits your dates.
The majority of our customers book and pay for their package in full, meaning that we will book everything in advance to guarantee availability. However, as the prices of our packages can change due to price increases, you are able to secure this amazing package price with a small deposit of just $100pp. You are then able to pay off the package in instalments as and when you wish. As we are unable to make the bookings for the hostels and tours until we have received full payment, due to availability, we do recommend completing payment for your package as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment. Because of this, it is no problem to tweak the itinerary until full payment has been received - the deposit just locks in the discounted price of this package. If you are worried about availability, let us know as so we can go ahead and look into options for you, for example locking in certain parts of your trip that are likely to fill up in advance such as the Whitsundays/Fraser Island. Have a query about the payment that isn't answered above? Feel free to ask us on live chat, give us a call on +61 2 9070 1025 or send us an email at hello@backpackersworld.com
Most if not all suppliers are able to cater for specific dietary requirements, however for some suppliers this can be an additional cost. Our online team are fully knowledgeable on what suppliers/tours charge extra for which dietary requirements so feel free to contact us for more information.
