Adelaide to Fraser Island - Recommended stopovers/attractions along the way?

[robbo14 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close robbo14]

Hi all,

Planning a trip down the east coast later on during the year with the Missus and 2 kids (2+4 Year olds). Leaving from Adelaide to include Canberra, Sydney, Gold Coast and Fraser Island for main stop overs. Being our first road trip on the East Coast, not being familiar with the area, are there any recommended destinations/attractions outside the main cities.

Duration will be around 4-6 weeks in a C/T. We have not selected a date although New Years fireworks at Sydney Harbour seems tempting. Increased camping costs and busy theme parks are really stopping me from travelling around this time.

I really want to include Cairns but believe it will be too much with the kids and also add a couple grand in fuel cost. Only interested in minimalist 4wd'ing as we will be by ourselves.


This is just a generated map google made, I have not modified it in anyway.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/A...25.2896192!3e0


Regards

[Mattfunk 120 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mattfunk 120]

So many quiet towns on the east coast between Newcastle and Brisbane so take your pick . I've never been to Stockton beach but it's on my to do list . Any sleepy beach town , broomes head , yamba , Evans head , ballina , Byron bay(not so sleepy anymore ) kings cliff

[Whitey Shockie Maker of the Month Award Find all posts View Profile Close Whitey]

Hey,

Matt is on the money, Pottsville in northern NSW for a quiet sleepy spot, plenty of camping spots. On the way from Brisbane to Fraser, I'd stop at Noosa (turn right at Eumundi), and take the Noosa River car ferry at Tewantin across to Noosa north shore. You can camp at Noosa north shore as well. From there you can drive all the way up the beach to Rainbow via Double Island, a really great SEQ beach drive.

On the way back, you can take the ferry from the west side of Fraser at Kingfisher Bay and trot up to Bundaberg and visit the rum factory, a QLD institution!

Best

Mark

[Mattfunk 120 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Mattfunk 120]

Other sleepy beach hollows northern NSW , Angourie , Lennox head , Brunswick heads , Hastings point, Cabarita. Not enough time

[robbo14 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close robbo14]

Looking at camp grounds in NSW, looks like most spots are about $20 per night +park entrance fee. Might be worth wild get an annual pass

[r4ndll Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close r4ndll]

Are you more of an 'attraction' family or a natural scenery family?

Between Canberra and Sydney:
Big Merino at Goulburn (you need to exit the highway)- bit tacky but the young uns will love it. There is a half decent pie shop/cafe over the road for lunch/tea break too.

Syd to Fraser

Personally I don't like the Pacific Highway much its a really boring drive now its been upgraded. Heading inland up the New England is a nicer drive IMO. Great if you are wanting to get somewhere fast but boring IMO. There are a few nice towns on the way though and I can understand it if you want to see some east coat sea side place. If you are doing the return journey go up one and come back down the other. Check out this link for and idea of what to expect: http://www.theage.com.au/news/new-so...e#contentSwap2

Pacific Highway Route (Coastal Route)

If you go up the coast road a stop for lunch at Ulmarra Hotel on the banks of the Clarence River is worth it. Its just off the highway - kids park and playground nearby http://www.ulmarrahotel.com.au/

You could also take a side trip to Dorrigo/Belligen and the Dorrigo National Park and walk to Crystal Falls

South of Coffs Harbour and stretching from the coast to the New England National Park is the Nambucca Valley with a laid back village feel and ideal fishing destination. Lovely waterways, rainforest and empty beaches. Nambucca also has a number of friendly historic towns. Enjoy a drink at Slim Dusty’s “Pub With No Beer” in Taylor’s Arm

Grafton is a town known for its beautiful Jacaranda trees which are in full bloom in October. Near by is Susan Island, which has the largest fruit bat colony in Australia.

Yamba is a wonderful little village, get the ferry over to Illuka and spend a day at the local pub and have great seafood for lunch.

Lennox Head has one of Australia's best right-hand surf breaks 20 minutes from Byron Bay.

There's a Big 4 Caravan park in Yamba that has a water park in it - great for the kiddies - http://www.big4.com.au/caravan-parks...a-holiday-park


Syd -> Fraser inland via New England

We did Sydney to Fraser last school holidays (kids 7, 5 & 9mths) via the New England Highway and spent a week getting to Fraser via that route. We did Syd -> Gloucester >Armidale (via Thunderbolts way aka Tourist Drive 2) > Tenterfield> Landsborough (via Toowomba, Hampton and Esk on Tourist route 23 throught the Glass House mountains. Worth a thought - you could always cut across to the Gold Coast at or after Tenterfield.

Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/DnzY9

Basic trip report here: https://ramblingrandells.wordpress.c...to-gloucester/

The drive from F1 to Gloucester is nice and pretty and relatively traffic free. Nice park in Gloucester to stop and have a break. (call into the Drifta factory too )
Great free camp spot about 35 kms past Gloucester called Bretti Reserve - large open flat spots near a river. Free camping up to a month - two pit toilets that were reasonable clean . Just beyond is Carsons Pioneer look out.

Thunderbolts way - has a few caves and hideouts related to Captain Thunderbolt, the last bush ranger, and our kids loved wandering through and over. You'll have to search a few out. Lots of nice roadside rest stops all the way up to Gloucester. On the New England there are a few in the local towns with playgrounds etc

Once on the new England Highway

Armidale - Out of town, you can visit New England National Park and spectacular Dangars Gorge and Falls.

Tenterfield - has a great little railway museum and the kids can scramble over the locos and carriages. From here you can can do a half/full day trip Bald Rock National Park and climb Bald Rock - Largest Granite Monolith in the Southern Hemisphere. Your 2 yr old might struggle but our 5 yr old did the 'easy' walk to the top. Views are incredible. Also Tenterfield Saddlery

Near Brisbane - The kids will love Australia Zoo if you are going. We stayed at Landsborough caravan park - its about 2km from the zoo and is a nice park. If you go up the New England you could take Tourist route 23 through glass house mountains is great. Tiwsty but shouldn't have an issue with a C/T
Looking at my trip plan we had planned a side trip to Boreen Point pre- Rainbow Beach but didn't go as we need to make up time so just went up the highway.

I've just copied and pasted there rest from our research (we didn't do this side trip as we wanted a shorter travel day and pounded up the highway):
Route? - Noosa to Rainbow via Boreen Point and Wolvi - 3.5 hours total Brisbane To Boreen Point - 157 km/1hr 50
Suggested Stops:
- Wild Horse Mountain Lookout -
- Boreen Point
- Boreen Point Campground
From Noosa turn off at Tewantin to Boreen Point, on Lake Cootharaba, following the signs. From Boreen Point you can visit Elanda Point Camping and Adventure Grounds where you can hire canoes, kayaks motor boats and even go on a guided canoe safari.
You can also visit Elanda Point Camping ground which is surrounded by wildlife and birdlife and is the beginning of the Noosa Everglades,

Boreen To Rainbow Beach - 122km / 1hr 44

From here there are a couple of options to which way to go. From Elanda Point you can head north toward Gympie 40 kilometres) via Wolvi over Yellow Bridge. Note: there is a few kilometres of unsealed road, a steep unsealed incline for 1.5 kilometres (a bit rough but a car can do it - slowly) and about 10 kilometres of good unsealed road.
This route is through natural rainforest and stunning rural landscapes and you may even spot a koala. There is a hall, amenities and large playground at Wolvi. You can also go to Pomona via Kin Kin (19 kilometres) and then head north from Kin Kin via Tin Can Bay Road.

[robbo14 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close robbo14]

Thankyou all for the intel.

Big thanx to r4ndll and to answer the question, To keep the kids entertained, we need to find a balance of both attractions and scenery.