East Coast Australia Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises). However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid's COVID-19 proof of vaccination policy

The weather on the east coast of Australia differs depending on which state you're traveling in with Queensland experiencing a tropical climate while New South Wales and Victoria enjoy a more humid, subtropical climate and a temperate oceanic climate respectively. This generally means that all states see warm to hot summers with temperatures exceeding 80°F+, a lot of rainfall throughout the year and cold to freezing winters where snow falls in some regions across all states. 

Click to read more about the weather on the east coast

It's extremely easy to get around the east coast of Australia, however, as the region spans 1,864 miles of coastline, traveling between destinations is not always quick and efficient. There are several airports located in different cities along the coast - namely Melbourne International Airport (MEL), Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), and Brisbane International Airport (BNE) - that allows for relatively fast transportation between the major cities. There's also an extensive system of public transportation in the form of a train and bus network that has the ability to transport you from one destination along the coast to another. It's also extremely easy to drive between destinations with all major freeways connecting the states to one another regularly maintained and easily navigatable. 

Click to read more about getting around east coast Australia

Australia’s east coast is pretty massive and the landscapes are very diverse so chances are you'll need more than a pair of flip flops, bathers, and some sunscreen for your trip. But whether you're going to the metropolitan city of Melbourne or snorkeling your way over the Great Barrier Reef, there are a few items we think are essential:

• Reusable water bottle 

• Daysack 

• Suncream

• Sunglasses (with UV protection)

• Warm layers 

• Insect repellent 

• Portable power bank

• Camera

• Torch

• Bathers 

• Comfortable, sturdy footwear 

• Thongs

• Lightweight towel

Check out our ultimate packing list for Australia

East coast Australia is spoilt for choice when it comes to fantastic cities to spend a couple of days in - there's tropical Cairns, laneway-ridden Melbourne, and paradise-like Port Douglas just to name a few. While it's almost impossible to visit them all, here are a few of our favourites: 

• Cairns
• Melbourne
• Port Douglas 
• Byron Bay 
• Sydney
• Newcastle

The east coast of Australia spans 3,000km so it makes sense that the region would boat some of the country's best beaches. Some of these are even up there with the best beaches in the world (and we're not even exaggerating). See for yourself by working through our list of the best beaches on the east coast: 

• Ellis Beach, Qld
• Bondi Beach, NSW
• Manly Beach, NSW
• Whitehaven Beach, Qld
• Port Macquarie, NSW

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. However, we’re always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.