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.

The weather on the East Coast varies across each state from temperature in Victoria to humid subtropical in New South Wales and Queensland. Generally, most regions on the East Coast enjoy hot summers and cool winters with clear distinctions between summer, fall, winter and spring. 

There are exceptions to this though with destinations in tropical Far North Queensland such as Cairns and Port Douglas experiencing hot, humid and wet summers and dry winters.

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 public transportation system in the form of a train and bus network that can transport you from one destination along the coast to another.

It's also straightforward to drive between destinations, with all major freeways connecting the states to one another regularly maintained and easily navigatable.

Australia's east coast is massive, and the landscapes are diverse, so you'll probably need more than a pair of thongs, bathers, and sunscreen for your trip. But whether you go to the metropolitan city of Melbourne or snorkel 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

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 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

We are committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. We do our best to help you see the world, regardless of physical or mental limitations. 

We are always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them toward the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.