The cities of Gold Coast, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast are perfect for a 10 day road trip.
If you are flying in to Gold Coast like I did, conquer the cities in a linear fashion by following my recommended sequence 1 – 4 below:
- Gold Coast
- Brisbane
- Glass House Mountains
- Sunshine Coast
Contrary to popular belief, you actually do not have to drive in Australia. There are inter-city buses available so you can do almost the whole trip via public transport. But if you have 4 pax or more, renting a car may overall be cheaper!
- Gold Coast
Gold Coast is not just about surfing and beaches (especially when you visit in winter), visit the hinterlands which includes waterfalls, rock formations and mountain views. You can drive, or join a reliable tour. The tour we joined includes afternoon tea at a quaint little cafe.
Besides the theme parks, enjoy an amazing view of the Gold Coast sky line where you can see both the hinterlands and the ocean. We got our complimentary tickets by buying the Dreamworld package from Klook. If you are flying out of Gold Coast, you can do this as a last stop en route to the airport.
2. Brisbane
A “must see” for all visitors to Brisbane with breathtaking panoramic views of Brisbane City out to Moreton Bay. The hike is about 30 min, but you can drive up if you do not want to hike.
A little out of the way, but a worth visiting night market of food trucks and street food stalls with live music and a shipping container bar. The calamari we bought here is still the best we have ever tasted.
3. Glass House Mountains
The Mount Ngungun summit walking track is a 2.8 kilometre trail that begins in open forest and offers great views of the Glasshouse Mountains. One of the most memorable easy treks in my lifetime, because it offered such expansive views of the plains. Come at sunset to see the sky colours at its best, but note that it will be pitch dark shortly after as the trail does not have lights.
4. Sunshine Coast
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