We started off our journey with a scenic drive on the East Coast of Australia. The Pacific Highway links the cities of Sydney and Brisbane. The drive is a little over 900 km so we made sure to stop in different spots along the way, including beautiful coastal towns and pristine beaches.
Sydney
We stayed in The Rocks, a rocky peninsula on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour and the starting point of European settlement in Australia.
Just behind the Rocks is a site known as Barangaroo. Formerly a commercial port, it is now a harbourside complex of hype residences as well as hotels, restaurants and casino. A guided tour in the Barangaroo Reserve educates us about the local Aboriginal people and the native plants.
From here, a foreshore walk takes us alongside the harbour and through the Botanical Gardens for a fantastic view of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.
View of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge from the Botanical Gardens.
We also visited New Town, a crowded suburb with late-night pubs, vintage shops and restaurants.
On our last day in Sydney, we made sure to stop at Bondi Beach, a sweep of golden sand and sparkling blue water, and Australia’s most iconic surf spot.
Nelson Bay
A little over three hours drive from Sydney is the resort town of Nelson Bay. It is situated inside the mouth of Port Stephens, a vast natural harbour and home to a large pod of friendly bottlenose dolphins.
We stayed three nights in Shoal Bay, a little town nestled in the Tomaree National Park between giant sand dunes.
A sailboat moored off the quiet beach in Shoal Bay.
Coffs Harbour
Coffs Harbour is a big coastal town along the Pacific Highway and is roughly located halfway between Sydney and Brisbane.
We stopped at the Koala Conservation Hospital in Port Macquarie, a non-profit organisation that rescues, treats and rehabilitates sick and injured Koalas. An absolute must while travelling on the East Coast !
Byron Bay
Another great stop is Byron Bay, a surf town appreciated by hipsters as well as wealthy Aussies. We loved the relaxed vibe and the vegan dining scene !
This is where our friends Mitch and Nathalie stayed with us for one night. They recently moved to Australia where Mitch is originally from. A good opportunity to meet Frida for the first time.
I got stung by a bluebottle jellyfish. I immediately felt an intense burn and it left a “print” of the tentacles on my skin but thankfully this jellyfish wasn’t harmful like the ones in the waters of Cairns.
Cape Byron Lighthouse, the most Easterly point in Australia.
Brisbane
We spent two days in Brisbane, a high rise city also known as Australia’s Sunshine Capital.
Housing a historically informative (and free!) museum, Brisbane City Hall is an impressive heritage building and the civic seat of the City of Brisbane.
Skyscrapers in Brisbane CBD.
Just across the Brisbane River is Kangaroo Point Cliffs, an open quarry which was used at the time of the first European settlement.
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