2WD verdict
Yes, this is one of the easiest big drives in Australia for a 2WD. The main route, the Pacific Motorway and the Bruce Highway, is sealed all the way. The places you can't take a 2WD van are K'gari (Fraser Island), the beach drives and the Bloomfield Track north of Cape Tribulation. For K'gari and the Whitsunday islands, leave the van and go on a tour or a boat.
Key points
- Allow time. It's roughly 2,600 km on the main road, but most people take three to six weeks, and we'd recommend not rushing it.
- Best time: the cooler, drier months, roughly May to October, are popular. Stinger season in the tropical north runs roughly November to May.
- K'gari is 4WD only. Go on a tour, like Luke did, or hire a proper 4WD with a permit.
- Use WikiCamps to find cheaper camps. WikiCamps is a great tool on the east coast. There are so many paid campsites that it's hard to find a cheaper option, but sometimes you'll find a hidden gem on the coast or by heading slightly inland. See WikiCamps Australia.
- National park camps are great for nature. We love national park camps. It's how Paul (Ashleigh's dad) saw his first kangaroos, and they were massive! One of our favourites is Mungo Brush in Myall Lakes National Park.
- Sail the Whitsundays. An overnight sailing trip from Airlie Beach is a must on the east coast. We did it twice.
- Daintree: 2WD is fine from the ferry to Cape Tribulation, but not beyond it.
Planning: time, seasons and roads
Most people drive it north from Sydney, but it works just as well the other way. On our most recent trip we started in Brisbane and spent about three weeks driving down to Sydney with Ashleigh's dad, Paul (see it in our video).
Sydney
We'd recommend parking the van outside the centre and taking public transport in. With Paul, we took the Metro, which was new, clean and really easy, then walked about seven minutes from Martin Place to the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge (see it in our video). We walked round through the Botanic Gardens for the classic photo of both, then had oysters and a pie at the Fortune of War, which calls itself Sydney's oldest pub (see it in our video).
Before Sydney we took Paul to the Blue Mountains, which looked like a green version of the Grand Canyon. Heading south from Sydney? Coledale Camping Reserve, about an hour south, is a must if you're on that coast. It's right on the beach (more in our Sydney to Melbourne guide). Our Sydney to Melbourne coastal drive picks up from here.
Port Stephens, Forster and the mid north coast
Forster has a special place in our hearts, because it's where Ron joined us: we bought him privately there. Our guide to buying a van on a working holiday visa covers how that works. The mid north coast is all lakes, beaches and small towns, and it's worth the stop rather than racing up the highway.
We love national park camps, and one of our favourites on the whole east coast is Mungo Brush in Myall Lakes National Park.
Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay
This stretch is beaches, headland walks and surf towns, and we'd recommend slowing right down for it.
We did a lot of national park camps down this coast, and Diamond Head campground in Crowdy Bay National Park, where we camped with Paul, was one of our favourites.
Gold Coast, Brisbane and CMC Rocks
Brisbane is one of our favourite cities. We stayed at a gated van stop near the centre, rode the 50 cent CityCat ferries, had the best pizza of our trip and got up Mt Coot-tha in the morning. Our Brisbane in a campervan guide has the full 24 hours.
We also camped in Ron at CMC Rocks QLD, near Ipswich, with Paul. It was his first taste of Australia: he landed and got an Uber straight there to meet us. It was incredible, and it reminded us of our favourite festival at home, The Long Road (see it in our video).
More on the Gold Coast and its hinterland coming soon.
Noosa and the Sunshine Coast
The Sunshine Coast is a lovely change of pace after Brisbane, and Noosa is a must on the east coast.
More on the Sunshine Coast coming soon.
Rainbow Beach and K'gari
K'gari is where you'll be glad you didn't try to take your own van. Luke went before Ashleigh arrived, on a 4WD group tour with two friends. He still remembers the beach driving, the 4WD tracks in convoy, the snakes and monitor lizards, and camping with the group. A small plane landed right on the beach and took them up for a price he couldn't believe at the time. It was epic.
Our advice: do K'gari on a tour or in a proper 4WD, not in a 2WD van. Leave the van at Rainbow Beach or Hervey Bay, where the tours leave from.
Agnes Water and 1770
Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 are worth the detour off the Bruce Highway. We booked two nights and extended, because it was the first place in ages that felt like a holiday again. These notes are from our daily vlogs.
Our first day started with a coffee from 1770 Coffee (we liked it so much we bought the t-shirt), and then we spent hours on Agnes Water's main beach watching the surfers. On a Saturday it was busy and shade was hard to find, so take your own and plenty of factor 50. We also went up to the 1770 lookout for the views; it's a short walk. Afterwards we had ice cream from 1770 Gelato Co, then took the paddle board out on the calm, enclosed water by the estuary and paddled over to a sandbank. Mid-morning on a Saturday we couldn't park there, so go early or come back later in the day. Watch out for stonefish: a sign there warns about them.
We stayed at The Summit 1770, on a hill above town. We paid $35 for two nights unpowered. There were kangaroos (one with a joey) in the long grass right behind our van, a sunset spot further up the hill, decent showers, and a coffee truck on site in the mornings. The mosquitoes were bad at dusk. In town we found long, unrestricted parking with no height barrier, which is great in a van.
Clairview, Mackay and Cape Hillsborough
From 1770 we drove north with no plan. It was Easter weekend and powered sites were almost impossible to find on WikiCamps, so book ahead over the holidays. We passed through Rockhampton and kept going. These notes are from our daily vlogs.
BrandyBottle, Clairview. We stopped at BrandyBottle Caravan Park & Golf Course, just off the Bruce Highway. A powered site cost us $35 a night, with showers, toilets, a bar and evening meals (a meat lovers pizza and a chicken parmi, both really good). You also get a free game of golf. We'd never played: two holes took about an hour in the heat and we lost balls in the trees and the pond, but the owner was lovely and nobody minded that we were hopeless.
Mackay. It's about an hour and a half on to Mackay. We parked at the shopping centre next to the Bluewater Lagoon (it had two hours' free parking), cooled off in the shops, then changed in the van and went for a swim in the lagoon. It's free and has lifeguards, and was a great way to cool down. That night we camped at a cheap $17 beachside campsite with toilets. A sign warned about box jellyfish from October to April.
Cape Hillsborough at sunrise. This is the famous one: "kangaroos" on the beach at dawn (officially they're agile wallabies). We were up at 5:45am and the car park was already busy, with more people arriving. Our honest verdict: the beach and the sunrise are stunning (it reminded us of Thailand), and we saw a dolphin, but the wildlife bit felt a bit like a zoo. People crowded around the markers, there were only two animals, and food had been put out. If you've never seen one in the wild, it's worth it. If you have, seeing them by chance is more exciting. Stay close by, because you need to be there before sunrise.
Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays
Sailing the Whitsundays is the thing we'd tell anyone not to miss. We did it twice from Airlie Beach, with different operators: once with Luke's friends and once together. Both were overnight on the boat, with snorkelling, turtles, fish and amazing coral, insane beaches, and stars like we've never seen since.
More recently, from our daily vlogs: we spent three nights at the campground at Nomads hostel, right on the main street, with a pool. It's a hostel, so don't expect quiet, but we didn't mind. We went to Taco Tuesday and trivia at the bar (we didn't win), swam in the free lagoon on the foreshore, and had açaí bowls (about $22 each, with a 15-minute wait, but huge). Airlie is also where we found work, through a Facebook post, before heading south.
More on the Whitsundays coming soon.
Townsville, Magnetic Island and Mission Beach
North of the Whitsundays the coast gets more tropical, and Magnetic Island is worth the stop.
Cairns
Cairns was actually the first place Luke explored in Australia, after a connection from Sydney. He remembers the parties, the relaxed atmosphere and getting over jet lag. We haven't been back together since, but we'd love to.
More on Cairns, the Tablelands and the Daintree coming soon.
The Daintree and Cape Tribulation
We haven't been to the Daintree yet, and it's top of our list for when we go back. From our research, it's very doable in a 2WD as far as Cape Tribulation.
FAQs
Is the Cape Hillsborough kangaroo sunrise worth it?
For us, it was mixed. The beach and the sunrise are stunning, but it was crowded and felt a bit like a zoo, with only two animals. It's worth it if you've never seen one in the wild. Be there before sunrise and stay nearby.
Can you do the east coast of Australia in a 2WD campervan?
Yes. The main route from Sydney to Cairns is sealed all the way. The exceptions are K'gari, beach drives and the Bloomfield Track north of Cape Tribulation, which are 4WD only. Do K'gari on a tour.
How long do you need for Sydney to Cairns?
The main route is around 2,600 km. Most people take three to six weeks, and we'd recommend allowing as long as you can.
Can you take a campervan to K'gari (Fraser Island)?
Not a 2WD one. Queensland Parks says vehicles must be high-clearance 4WDs with low range, and you need a vehicle access permit. We'd recommend a 4WD tour, which is what Luke did.
What is the best time to drive the east coast?
The cooler, drier months, roughly May to October, are the most popular. Stinger season in Queensland runs roughly November to May, so swim at patrolled beaches inside the nets.
Is sailing the Whitsundays worth it?
For us, yes. We did overnight sailing trips from Airlie Beach twice, and the snorkelling, beaches and stars were the highlight of the coast.
Can you drive to Cape Tribulation in a 2WD?
Yes. Queensland Parks says 2WD vehicles can drive from the Daintree River ferry to Cape Tribulation. The Bloomfield Track beyond it is 4WD only and not suitable for campervans.
Should you drive Sydney to Cairns or Cairns to Sydney?
Either works. We've most recently driven Brisbane to Sydney southbound with Paul. Plan around the seasons in the tropical north.
Sources
Our own experience comes from our earlier trips along the coast, our more recent trip with Paul, and the videos linked above. Where we haven't done something ourselves, it's in a "popular with other travellers" box. Official and other travellers' information was checked on 4 November 2026. Rules, roads and opening hours change, so check before you go.
- Oz Road Trips: Sydney to Cairns road trip
- Wanderlust: Sydney to Cairns campervan route
- Transport for NSW: contactless payments
- NSW National Parks: Walgun Cape Byron walking track
- Koala Conservation Australia: Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
- Queensland Parks: Noosa National Park coastal walk
- Queensland Parks: vehicle access permits
- Queensland Parks: K'gari getting there and getting around
- Queensland Parks: K'gari dingo interactions
- Queensland Government: driving on K'gari
- Queensland Parks: Whitsunday Islands National Park
- Queensland Parks: Hill Inlet lookout track
- Queensland Parks: camping in the Whitsunday Islands
- Queensland Parks: Magnetic Island Forts Walk
- Queensland Government: Be Cass-o-wary safety tips
- Queensland Government: dangerous marine life
- Surf Life Saving Queensland: marine stingers
- Queensland Parks: Daintree visiting safely
- Douglas Shire Council: Bloomfield Track
- NSW National Parks: Tomaree Head Summit walk
- NSW National Parks: Myall Lakes National Park
- NSW National Parks: Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse
- NSW National Parks: Dorrigo National Park
- The Big Banana Fun Park
- Queensland Parks: Springbrook National Park
- Australia Zoo
- The Original Eumundi Markets
- Visit Sunshine Coast
- Visit Fraser Coast: whale watching in Hervey Bay
- Visit Gladstone (Agnes Water and 1770 region)
- Tourism Whitsundays
- Townsville North Queensland
- Paronella Park
- Kuranda Scenic Railway
- Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
- Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre
- Queensland Parks: Cape Hillsborough National Park
- Mackay Regional Council: Bluewater Lagoon
- BrandyBottle Caravan Park & Golf Course
- WikiCamps Australia
- NSW National Parks: Mungo Brush campground
- NSW National Parks: Mungo Brush campground visitor info
- NSW National Parks: Diamond Head campground
- NSW National Parks: Diamond Head campground visitor info
- Translink: 50 cent fares