G’day to the Down Under Diary! A blog dedicated to uncovering the hidden gems, unforgettable moments, and unfiltered adventures of my six-week road trip in 2023 along Australia’s east coast. Buckle up, because this journey is packed with stunning landscapes, quirky encounters, and plenty of unexpected twists.
TL;TR · G’day
Too long to read (TL;TR) the whole blog article? Here’s the quick summary
Summary following soon!
What to Expect from this Blog Series
This blog post which you’re currently reading is all about the travel crew, travel route, travel preparation and functionaries as the summary. Then each of the seven upcoming blog post will dive into a specific location, bringing you along for the ride as we uncover hidden gems, share insider tips, and reveal untold stories from the road. I’ll take you beyond the typical tourist spots, offering a real and unfiltered look at the highs and lows of van life. So whether you’re planning your own Aussie road trip or just love a good travel story, join me in reliving this adventure.
📝 1) Untold Stories
The moments you won’t find in guidebooks: motorhome challenges, unexpected wildlife encounters, and the hilarious mishaps that made this trip unforgettable in a diary-style format.
💡 2) Insider Tips and Extra Insider Tips
Learn from our experiences, whether it’s the best places to camp, how to avoid common road trip pitfalls, or must-try local eats. Each blog will cover one or two extra tips.
✨ 3) Hidden Gems
From secluded beaches to off-the-radar hikes, discover the best-kept secrets of Australia’s east coast.
💬 5) Your Stories (Comments)
Share your road trip experiences, ask questions, or let me know what stories you’re most excited to read about.
Meet the Travel Group
In April and May 2023, three friends and I set off on an epic motorhome adventure along Australia’s East Coast. Before we became road trip friends, our story started at Pilatus Aircraft Ltd, where we all did our apprenticeships from 2015 to 2018 (or 2019). It was during this time that our friendship took shape, strengthened by shared challenges, and unforgettable excursions like the apprentice camp or fairs. Those experiences built a solid friendship, preparing us for the ultimate adventure: a six-week motorhome journey across the east coast of Australia!
👱🏼♀️ Sabrina · Route Runner & Animal Advisor
„If it crawls or buzzes, I’m on duty (again)“
- Demographics: 1999, Swiss, Design
- Travel Style: #QualityTime #Discovery #Airbnb #Van #Roadtrip #Beach #Jungle #Nature #Wildlife
- Travel Duties: As the only one in our group who had visited Australia before, Sabrina was our go-to Aussie expert. She planned the travel itinerary, managed our driving schedule, picked out the best stops, and organised all the must-do activities. And whenever something crawled or buzzed into the van, she bravely took on spider duty or removed any other uninvited wildlife guests.
- Travel Must-Have: Soap
- Highlight: Watching wild kangaroos hop through the wild landscape in the Emerald Beach Reserve with the ocean in the background.
- Lowlight: Hitting a curb and cracking the tyre, costing us time, nerves, and a relaxed beach day.
👩🏽 Simona · Culinary Creator & Grocery Guardian
„If no one gained weight, I take it personally“
- Demographics: 1999, Swiss & Italian, Human Resources
- Travel Style: #Adventure #Discovery #Hotel #Van #Roadtrip #Beach #Nature #Desert #Tropics #Wildlife
- Travel Duties: Simona was our private chef and not just because she’s half Italian. She cooked delicious meals that kept us happy and fuelled, always with a flair for Italian comfort food. As our grocery guardian, she also made sure we never ran out of essentials and had everything we needed for the days ahead.
- Travel Must-Have: Packing Cubes
- Highlight: Experience the early morning magic in Cape Hillsborough with kangaroos in the golden light of the sunrise
- Lowlight: Having to postpone an important job interview because there was absolutely no internet and signal at all.
👩🏼 Vanessa · Campsite Critic & Indoor Inspector
„If I haven’t scrolled through every single review, we’re not booking it“
- Demographics: 1998, Austrian & French, Human Resources
- Travel Style: #QualityTime #Discovery #Hotel #Luxury #Car #Beach #City #Food #Sightseeing
- Travel Duties: Vanessa was our ultimate accommodation critic, always making sure we stayed in the best possible spots (when they met her standards, of course). She searched and booked campsites with a sharp eye for great locations and clean facilities. Inside the van, she took charge of tidying up and keeping things in order.
- Travel Must-Have: Disposable camera
- Highlight: Seeing the Heart Reef in a scenic flight over the turquoise Great Barrier Reef.
- Lowlight: Having to cancel planned activities because of non-stop rain, nature didn’t always care about our itinerary.
👩🏼🦱 Géraldine (Me) · Memory Maker & Finance Fairy
„If it’s not in the camera roll, it didn’t happen“
- Demographics: 1999, Swiss, Marketing
- Travel Style: #Discovery #Roadtrip #Van #Walking #Airbnb #Nature #Beach #City #Wildlife #Sunset
- Travel Duties: I took on the role of Memory Maker and captured every moment with my phone and camera. While the others drove (the insurance only covered three drivers and honestly, since I don’t enjoy driving anyway, I was more than happy to leave that to the others), I updated our Polarsteps travel diary in real time. I also managed our finances and tracked credit card use. Since I’d travelled by van before, I took charge of the outdoor duties: refilling fresh water, emptying grey water, and connecting us to power.
- Travel Must-Have: Insect repellent (Bite Away)
- Highlight: Exploring the wild mix of Fraser Island: sand dune, crystal-clear lakes, champagne pools, freshwater river, and dingoes.
- Lowlight: Experiencing a total meltdown of motorhome chaos just before my job interview, leaving me with zero time to prepare and way too many distractions.
Route · Australia’s East Coast
We flew from Switzerland to Sydney, where our adventure began with a first taste of Aussie city life. From there, we picked up our motorhome and hit the road – following the Pacific Coast Way all the way to the tropical north, with Port Douglas as our final destination. From Cairns, we flew back to Switzerland via Singapore. Over six unforgettable weeks, we covered more than 3,660 kilometers, stopping at some of Australia’s most stunning coastal, jungle, and island spots.
💡 Extra Tip · Australian Regions
Australia is divided into 6 states and 2 major territories, each with its own climate, culture, and travel highlights. Here’s a quick overview to help you get your bearings.
States
- 🏄🏼♀️ New South Wales (NSW): Iconic for Sydney, beaches & coastal walks
- 🌴 Queensland (QLD): Tropical vibes, Great Barrier Reef & rainforests
- 🐧 Victoria (VIC): Coffee culture, Melbourne, & lively sports culture
- 🍷 South Australia (SA): Wine regions, wildlife & rugged coastlines
- 🐬 Western Australia (WA): Epic surf, remote beauty & big distances
- ⛰️ Tasmania (TAS): Nature paradise, cooler climate & wild hikes
Territories
- 🏜️ Northern Territory (NT): Red desert, Uluru & outback adventures
- 🏛️ Australian Capital Territory (ACT): Home to Canberra & national museums
🗳️ Your Vote · Travel Journey
Throughout the next eight blog posts, I’ll take you along to some of the most stunning places. But with so many unforgettable moments, I can’t share them all – so you get to decide which destinations and stories you’d love to read about!
Update · Travel Journey
Update end of April · Thank you for all your votes! Your favorite travel stops are now clear, and I can’t wait to share the stories behind them with you!
🏄🏼♂️ Sydney: Giant Spiders, Jetlag, & the Great Easter Brekkie Fail
🦘 Emerald Beach: Motorhome Issues, Kangaroos, & the Surprise Visit on the Dunny
🌊 Noosa: Rain Disaster, Desperate Cash Hunt, & the Coastal Walk with(out) View
🐕 Fraser Island: Guided Adventure Tour, Dingos, & the Champagne Pools
🌅 Cape Hillsborough: Digital Detox, Failed Job Interviews, & the Sunrise Kangaroo Dream
🩵 Airlie Beach: Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach Paradise, & the Scenic Flight
🐨 Magnetic Island: Barbie Car, Wild Koala Hunts, & the Motorhome Breakdown Finale
💡 Extra Tip · Travel Itinerary
Below, you’ll find our suggested travel itinerary – shaped by experience and improved through all our learnings. While we couldn’t visit every destination due to weather or time constraints, I’ve included them all nonetheless.
By the way, leave at least three comments across any of my eight blog posts by 1 June 2025, and I’ll email you my full East Coast Australia itinerary – with must-sees, hidden gems, campgrounds, and activities. Let’s just say I love lists! Over 150 stops are already noted, and my Apple Maps has 200+ saved places. But first, let me finish my semester 😉 Promise!
- 4 nights in Sydney
- Day trip to Blue Mountains
- 1 night in Toowoon Bay
- 1 night in Port Stephens
- 1 night in Port Macquarie
- Stopover in Nambucca Heads
- 1 night in Emerald Beach
- 3 nights in Byron Bay
- 1 night in Fingal Head
- 2 nights in Gold Coast
- 3 nights in Brisbane
- Day trip to Moreton Island
- 2 nights in Sunshine Coast
- 3 nights in Noosa
- 1 night in Rainbow Beach
- 1 night in Hervey Bay
- 1 night on Fraser Island
- 1 night in Seventeen Seventy
- 1 night in Yeppoon
- Day trip to Great Keppel Island
- 2 nights in Mackay
- 1 night in Cape Hillsborough
- 3 nights in Airlie Beach
- 1 night in Townsville
- Day trip to Magnetic Island
- 1 night in Wallaman Falls
- Day trip to Paronella Park
- 2 nights in Mission Beach
- Day trip to Millaa Millaa Falls
- 3 nights in Cairns
- Day trip to Fitzroy Island
- Day trip to the Great Barrier Reef (Outer Reef)
- Day trip to Kuranda
- Day trip to Palm Cove
- 2 nights in Port Douglas
- Day trip to Daintree Nationalpark
- Day trip to Cape Tribulation
💡 Extra Tip · Travel Duties
Some duties should be clarified quite early on, while others will naturally arise during the trip and can be distributed fairly as you go. What definitely helped us was assigning the essential tasks based on each person’s skills and preferences. But the real game changer? Giving those people full trust and (creative) freedom. For example, Simona created the entire meal plan, prepared the shopping list, and cooked – and we didn’t interfere. Vanessa was in charge of finding and booking our accommodations. No endless group discussions needed. This approach saved us a lot of time, stress, and back-and-forth debates.
- Activities booking
- Bed setup
- Campgrounds/accommodations booking
- Calendar management
- Cleaning
- Cooking/Meal planning
- Diary writing
- Dishwashing
- Document management (on paper or online)
- Driving
- Finances (credit card, cash)
- Flights booking
- First Aid
- Gas management (close the bottles before each drive)
- Groceries
- Motorhome outside setup (chairs, table, sunshade, etc.)
- Navigation
- Insect removal
- Laundry
- Power management (plugging in the cable)
- Route planning
- Rubbish disposal
- Setting/clearing the table
- Shared photo album
- Temperature management (A/C and heating)
- Time management (alarm clock)
- Water management (fresh water filling and grey water emptying)
💡 Extra Tip · Packlist
Let’s talk about packing and the roadtrip essentials. A few smart items can make all the difference on a motorhome road trip. From insect repellent to a tape, here’s a list of things we were most grateful to have (and a few we wished we’d thought of sooner). If you are curious how we ended up needing some items, click the link (if available) to read the full story.
- Aloe Vera Gel
- App ‘Australia Bites and Stings’
- App ‘Beachsafe’
- App ‘BOM‘
- App ‘Flowtrip’
- App ‘GetYourGuide’
- App ‘Polarsteps’
- App ‘Splid’
- App ‘Uber’
- App ‘WikiCamps’
- Bikini Bags
- Brush
- Case scale
- Cell phone plan with Opus
- Clothesline
- Charger
- Coins
- Daypack
- Disposable camera
- Emergency contacts
- First aid kit / Snake bite aid kit
- Fly nets
- GoPro
- Hangers
- Hoodie
- Insect repellent (buy it in Australia)
- Insect treatment device (Bite Away)
- Insurance
- Laundry bag
- List with allergies, intolerances, medicaments
- Medicaments
- Mosquito repellent
- Multiple socket strip
- Nausea medication (Itinerol)
- Neoprene Socks
- Passport
- Pink Outfit
- Rain jacket
- Reusable food containers
- Scissors
- Simple Outfits
- Shopping bags
- Shared Calendar
- Shared Debit Card (NEON)
- Shared Folder
- Shared Photo/Video Album
- Soap
- Suncream (buy it in Australia)
- Sunhat
- Suitcase (but no hard-top case)
- Swiss Pocket Knife
- Swiss Multitool
- Tape
- Thermal clothes
- Torch/Headlamp
- Thongs (Flip-flops)
- Visa
- Water bottle
- Water shoes
- Waterproof bags
- Waterproof phone pouch
- Ziplock bag
All Down Under Diaries
Did you miss one of the blog posts? Catch up on all the Down Under Diary adventures here:
- 🌴 #1 G’day: The Ultimate Australia’s East Coast Road Trip (this blog article)
- 🏄🏼♂️ #2 Sydney: Giant Spider, Jetlag, & the Great Easter Brekkie Fail
- 🦘 #3 Emerald Beach: Motorhome Issues, Kangaroos, & the Surprise Visit on the Dunny
- 🌊 #4 Noosa: Rain Disaster, Desperate Cash Hunt, & the Coastal Night(mare) Walk
- 🐕 #5 Fraser Island: Guided Adventure Tour, Dingos, & the Champagne Pools (with Video!)
- 🌅 #6 Cape Hillsborough: Digital Detox, Failed Job Interviews, & the Sunrise Kangaroo Dream
- 🩵 #7 Airlie Beach: Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach Paradise, & the Scenic Flight (with Videos!)
- 🐨 #8 Magnetic Island: Barbie Car, Wild Koala Hunts, & the Motorhome Breakdown Finale
💬 Your Stories · Road Trip
Share your stories in the comments at the very bottom of the page (after “You might also like”) in English or German. I’m happy about every comment and reply to each one!
Full East Coast Australia itinerary: If you leave at least three comments across any of my eight blog posts by 1 June 2025, and I’ll email you my full itinerary – with must-sees, hidden gems, campgrounds, and activities. Let’s just say I love lists: over 150 stops are already noted, and my Apple Maps has 200+ saved places. But first, let me finish my semester – promise! 💌
🇦🇺 Have you ever been to Australia? Where exactly?
🚌 Or have you ever been on a road trip? Where did you go?
Thanks for following along, ’til next time in Sydney!
Yours, Géraldine 👋🏻👩🏼🦱🌴
I’d love to hear from you (in English or German)! 💬
Full East Coast Australia itinerary: If you leave at least three comments across any of my eight blog posts by 1 June 2025, and I’ll email you my full itinerary! 💌
English
🇦🇺 Have you ever been to Australia? Where exactly?
🚌 Or have you ever been on a road trip? Where did you go?
Deutsch
🇦🇺 Warst du schon einmal in Australien? Wo genau?
🚌 Oder hast du schon einmal einen Roadtrip gemacht? Wohin bist du gefahren?
Yes, it was amazing🦘🇦🇺😍
G’day Francine, nice to hear! Where exactly have you been to Australia?
So cool🇦🇺🦘😍
G’day Franci, that’s lovely to hear! Have you ever been to Australia? 🇦🇺
I never traveled to Australia before, but it sounds amazing! I did once a roadtrip in Portugal. Which part of Portugal did you explore? 🇵🇹
G’day Anna, ohh yes, Portugal sounds nice too!
Absolutely amazing, looking forward to more stories of you! 🤩
G’day Sabrina, thank you and I’m looking forward to create more blog posts! Is there s spot in Australia you’re especially curious about? 🇦🇺
Australia is definetely on my buckt list! 🇦🇺🐨 Can’t wait to read your insights, recommendations & hidden gems! 😍
G’day Jasmin, nice! I definitely recommend Australia for traveling! Do you have any specific places on your must-see list already (reef, rainforest, outback, etc.)?
This blog brings back memories of my fantastic roadtrip through Australia!! I wonder how many spiders you had to handle throughout your trip 😉 !
G’day Lawrence, too many! Right at the start of the trip, in our very first taxi, we encountered a Huntsman spider 🕷️😱 Stay tuned for the next post, where I‘ll tell you the story! 🚕 Where have you been to in Australia? 🇦🇺
Hey Géraldine,
Dein Blog ist mega inspirierend! Freue mich auf die nächsten Beiträge!
Cheers aus der Schweiz!
G’day Cornel, super, freut mich zu hören! Was möchtest du in diesem Blog erfahren?
I have a few experiences with roadtrips so far. I went on two in Florida US, three on the westcoast of the US and one in Australia. One more roadtrip in the US is coming up soon! I love going on roadtrips because you‘re able to see so many different places in a short amount of time.🧭
I‘m looking forward to reliving the journey and the wonderful memories we made through this blog!😍🇳🇿
G’day Simona, wow, that’s an incredible road trip list! 🚗🌍 Can’t wait to take you along on our journey through Australia in the blog! 🦘 Your upcoming US trip sounds exciting, any bucket list stops planned?
Ich freue mich viele interessante Erlebnisse von Australien lesen zu können
G’day Sandra, das freut mich zu hören! Bleib gespannt. Warst du schon einmal in Australien oder hast du auch schon einen Roadtrip gemacht? 🇳🇿
Ich war noch nie in Australien, habe aber auch schon Autorundreisen in Europa gemacht
G’day Sandra, spannend! Wo genau in Europa bist du mit dem Auto unterwegs gewesen? 🚙
Hi, I‘ve never been to Australia, but I did a roadtrip in the USA with my family 10 years ago. And now I will repeat it with Sabrina 🤩. I think I‘m very happy to be her companion because with your giant Australia journey experience nothing will throw her off track 🚐🏞️.
G’day Rachele, that sounds amazing! 🤩 A road trip through the US must be an adventure, especially getting to relive it after 10 years! And yes, with Sabrina’s Aussie road trip survivor skills, you’re definitely in good hands ☺️ No detour, breakdown, or unexpected wildlife encounter will faze her now! Can’t wait to hear about your trip, where will you be heading this time in the US? 🇺🇸
We‘re just back from travelling the USA Westcoast. Yes, it was amazing and Sabrinas experiences were useful! Facing a problem she often thought about it and said: In Australia we used to…
G’day Rachele, US west coast sounds incredible! 🇺🇸 I love that Sabrina’s Aussie experience came in handy during your adventure. It’s so cool how road trips teach you little tricks that you can use anywhere in the world 🚌 What was your biggest issue where Sabrina could use her Aussie knowledge?
Hi Géraldine
I’m very proud of you!
And – a little bit jealous! I’ve been on many road trips with my old VW bus, but I’ve never made it all the way to Australia. Even though I always wanted to be a flying nurse!
So now I can travel to Australia in my mind with your blog!
Good luck and best wishes
G’day Silvia, thank you! Road-tripping in a VW bus sounds like an absolute dream — so many adventures, I’m sure! 🚐 Who knows, maybe one day Australia will still be on the horizon for you… even if it’s not as a flying nurse! 🛩️👩⚕️ In the meantime, I’m happy to take you along on my journey through the blog, hope you enjoy the ride! To which countries have you been with your VW bus so far?
Leider habe ich es noch nicht bis nach Australien geschafft. Mal schauen, ob mich dieser Blog für eine Reise inspiriert. Bin gespannt was ihr vier Girls alles erlebt habt 🙂
Bis jetzt gefällt mir der Blog sehr gut. Tolles Layout!
G‘day Nicole, danke dir! Ja, hoffentlich kann ich dir mit dem Blog und unseren Erlebnissen ein paar Gründe aufzeigen nach Australien zu reisen! 🦘🌊 Welchen spezifischen Ort oder Destination möchtest du in Australien am liebsten sehen? 🇦🇺
Love it! Your blog seriously makes me want to pack up and head to Australia. 😍 I’ve only ever done a short 7-day road trip through Finland because I used to think camping wasn’t for me. 😅 But honestly, I was so wrong 🤭 – it was amazing to have my little home on wheels wherever I went! 🚌✨ Now I’m dreaming of doing an entire Scandinavian road trip by van. Who knows, maybe Australia will be next! 🐨💭
G’day Saara, aww, thank you! 🥰 A road trip through Finland sounds magical with northern lights and peaceful forests and lakes! 🌌🌲 And yes, having your little rolling home gives you so much freedom. Let me know if you ever need tips for Down Under! 🐨 With whom would you like to do the Scandinavian road trip, with friends, partner or even solo?
i’m really looking forward to your blog posts, as i’m planning to do a trip to australia next year!
G’day Nina, that’s great news! I hope you will get some insights from the blog and if you have any questions, you can let me know! 🦘 Which region or which destinations you’re planning to visit in Australia? 🇦🇺
I always wanted to visit Australia and this motivates me even more! I am exited to hear about your journey!
G’day Erato, nice to hear! Australia is definitely worth it 🦘 Which destination would you like to see most in Australia? 🇦🇺
Hi, I‘ve never been to Australia but some time in the future I d‘like to go. I’m also a big fan of roadtrips in a camper or with a tent. So I’m thrilled to hear about your travel tips for Australia 😍
G‘day Andrin, great to hear! If you already love road trips and camping, Australia will be your dream come true! There’s so much to explore, and doing it in a camper makes it even more special. I’m so happy you’re following along – hope my travel tips will help you plan your future Aussie adventure! 🇦🇺 Which part of Australia would you like to see most (outback, coast, cities)?
Love it!!! Such a beautiful travel blog! 😍 I can hardly wait to continue traveling through Australia someday… 🦘🌊
G’day Vanessa, thank you very much for your kind words! I can’t wait too 🥹 We have to see the west coast together! 😍 What would be your must-see stop if we made it to the west-coast? 🌊
Woh woh, I missed Australia, it’s so nice 😄
That was my first solo trip back then.
G’day Xing, now you’ve got me all nostalgic – I miss Australia too! 🥹🐨 Would go back immediately! Where exactly did you travel to? 🇦🇺
Loved reading about your East Coast road trip! Australia’s been high on my travel list for a while, and your post just boosted the wanderlust even more. I’m a surfer too, did you get a chance to catch any waves while you were there? Would love to hear about any good surf spots you discovered!
G’day Michèle, thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear the post sparked even more wanderlust 🇦🇺 To be honest, I’ve only surfed three times so far (the last and favorite time was actually in Australia), so I’m far from being a surf expert and can’t give super authentic advice just yet 🏄♀️ But from what I saw, people were surfing pretty much everywhere! The most crowded spots with surfers were definitely Sydney, Byron Bay, Noosa, Surfers Paradise, and Rainbow Beach. Hope that helps a bit for now? 🌊 What was your favorite surf spot so far? 🏄♀️
I would definately check out again the road trip essentials when I visit 😊👌
G’day Isabel, great to hear! Do you plan to visit Australia anytime soon? 🇦🇺