A vibrant view of Sydney Harbour Bridge with Luna Park and sailboats highlighting the iconic skyline.
6 stops · 1 countries · ~2,185 km

The East Coast Australia

Sydney to Cairns up the Queensland and New South Wales coast: surf towns, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, mostly by Greyhound. The best hostels at every stop, and how to get to the next one.

Photo: Donovan Kelly on Pexels.

🗺️ stops
6
🌏 countries
1
🛏️ hostels
125
💸 best cheap bed (Cairns)
€9.43

The route

Map © OpenStreetMap contributors, OpenFreeMap. The line joins the stops in order; it is not a road or flight path.

Stop by stop

  1. Getting to Byron Bay · ~624 km as the crow flies

    • Greyhound coachabout 11–13 hSeveral departures a day from Sydney Central.
    • Fly to Ballina, then bus or taxiabout 1 h 15 min flight

    ✈️ Search flights SYD → BNK

    Times are typical ranges; operators change schedules, so check before you book. Sources: Intrepid Travel, Rome2Rio.

  2. Getting to Brisbane · ~143 km as the crow flies

    • Coach (Greyhound and others)about 3–4 h

    Times are typical ranges; operators change schedules, so check before you book. Sources: Greyhound Australia, Busbud.

  3. Getting to Noosa · ~120 km as the crow flies

    • Coachabout 2–2.5 h

    Times are typical ranges; operators change schedules, so check before you book. Sources: Greyhound Australia, FlixBus.

  4. Getting to Airlie Beach · ~814 km as the crow flies

    • Overnight Greyhoundabout 16–21 hDepartures late morning to late afternoon, arriving the next morning at the Port of Airlie.

    Times are typical ranges; operators change schedules, so check before you book. Sources: Omio, Busbud.

  5. Getting to Cairns · ~484 km as the crow flies

    • Coach (Greyhound, Premier)about 10–12 hDaytime departures, arriving Cairns in the evening.

    Times are typical ranges; operators change schedules, so check before you book. Sources: Greyhound Australia.

Watch: East Coast Australia: Sydney to Cairns, the backpacker route

Watch on YouTube

The east coast backpacker route in one minute: Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Noosa, Airlie Beach and Cairns, with the coach times between each stop (checked 11 Oct 2026).

Video transcript

Sydney to Cairns. The whole east coast of Australia, by coach. Six stops. Surf towns, islands and the reef. It starts under the Harbour Bridge. Then a coach north to Byron Bay. About eleven to thirteen hours. Three or four hours more to Brisbane. Two hours on, to Noosa. Then the long one. An overnight Greyhound up to Airlie Beach, and the Whitsundays. And a last day on the road to Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. About two thousand two hundred kilometres, as the crow flies. A hundred and twenty-five hostels on Hostelworld across the six stops. We picked three at every stop, and every leg, with how long it really takes. East Coast Australia. Plan it on AirConnect.

FAQ

What is the East Coast Australia?

Sydney to Cairns up the Queensland and New South Wales coast: surf towns, the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef, mostly by Greyhound.

How long is the East Coast Australia?

About 2,185 km in straight lines between our 6 stops (Sydney, Byron Bay, Brisbane, Noosa, Airlie Beach, Cairns); real road and rail distances are longer.

Which countries does the East Coast Australia go through?

Australia.

Where is the cheapest good hostel bed on the East Coast Australia?

Cairns: Mumma's Hostel Cairns, rated 9.2 on Hostelworld, from €9.43 a night (the lowest dorm price among hostels rated 8+ from 50+ reviews, 11 October 2026).

Hostel prices and ratings from Hostelworld's public listings (11 October 2026). Distances are straight-line between city centres. AirConnect may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.