Photos: N Storey, Jamie Davies, Calvin Kurlekar, Louis Moncouyoux, City of Gold Coast
Itinerary · Australia
Campervan Australia East Coast: 3 weeks Sydney to Cairns
Byron Bay, Great Barrier Reef and Whitsundays on the road
The Australian East Coast is the country's most travelled road trip. From Sydney to Cairns, the Pacific Highway runs along 2,800 km of beaches, national parks and coral reefs. It is the backpackers' favourite route, because you can stop anywhere.
The route
Indicative route, in straight lines between the stops, in travel order.
View on Google Maps →The 9 stops
Good to know before you go
The real budget for 21 days
Allow around €1,950 to €4,890 for 21 days, for two. This budget covers three items only: rental, fuel and nights (one campsite night each evening). Flights, food, Great Barrier Reef trips and access to K'gari (Fraser Island) are extra. Prices checked in October 2026, converted at €1 = A$1.5803 on 29/10/2026 (OFX). The low end is a basic van in the southern winter (June to August) with an unpowered site each night; the high end is a better-equipped van in spring (September to November) with a powered site.
- Van rental: from A$74 per day (Campervan Village and Travellers Autobarn, in winter) to A$229 per day (Mighty, in spring) for a 2-berth van (Campervan Planet, updated 23/10/2026). That is A$1,554 to A$4,809 for 21 days, plus A$400 to A$800 in one-way fees between Sydney and Cairns (CamperCompare, 16/06/2026). Total: A$1,954 to A$5,609, or €1,237 to €3,549.
- Fuel: in Sydney on 26/10/2026, A$2.360 per litre of unleaded and A$2.804 per litre of diesel (NRMA). For 2,800 km at 9 to 11 litres per 100 km, so 252 to 308 litres: A$595 to A$864 (low end on unleaded, high end on diesel), or €376 to €547.
- Nights: A$25 to A$40 for an unpowered caravan park site, A$35 to A$60 for a powered one (CamperCompare, 16/06/2026). For 21 nights: A$525 to A$1,260, or €332 to €797.
- Total: A$3,074 to A$7,733, or €1,945 to €4,893, so around €1,950 to €4,890.
Where to sleep in your van
Australia has no single rule for sleeping in a van: each state, council, national park and landowner sets its own, and it changes from town to town (Imoova, 28/05/2026).
- New South Wales: sleeping in your vehicle in towns, overnight parking on beachfronts and in car parks not meant for it are usually banned. Byron Bay and the South Coast are patrolled.
- Queensland: highway rest areas allow short stays; the Gold Coast, Noosa and Cairns are much stricter.
- Everywhere: sleep at a caravan park, a national park campground or a signposted free camp. The WikiCamps and CamperMate apps list them, but always check the sign on site.
Updated 30 October 2026
When to go
April to October
- Jan : Outside the best time
- Feb : Outside the best time
- Mar : Outside the best time
- Apr : Best time
- May : Best time
- Jun : Best time
- Jul : Best time
- Aug : Best time
- Sep : Best time
- Oct : Best time
- Nov : Outside the best time
- Dec : Outside the best time
Keep exploring
