East Coast Islands & Rainforest with Sydney
16 day Escorted Tour & City Stay – from £4825 £4400
With flights from £5650
After a Sydney city stay, join this 12 day fully escorted tour of Australia’s stunning East Coast, to tropical islands, secluded beaches and hidden waterfalls.
Highlights:
- Wander through the Royal Botanic Gardens to Sydney Opera House
- Enjoy a full day excursion to the beautiful Blue Mountains
- Stay on K’gari, with a 4×4 tour to Lake McKenzie and 75 Mile Beach
- Take the chance to visit the Whitsunday Islands from Airlie Beach
- Ride the Skyrail Cableway and take a cruise to the Great Barrier Reef
Your Itinerary
Expand AllYou can customise your holiday by adding extra nights or destinations before or after your East Coast Australia tour. Just let us know what you would like to do
Feel the excitement build as you arrive in Australia’s most iconic city. With four nights at your centrally located hotel you have time to explore Sydney at your leisure.
Wandering through the Royal Botanic Gardens is a must, arriving at Sydney Opera House, where you can enjoy a drink in the waterside bar over looking Sydney Harbour Bridge. You could also catch a ferry to Manley, take a dip in the famous Iceberg Pools, built into the rocks at Bondi Beach, or try out the restaurants in Darling Harbour. The choice is yours!
On a day of your choice, we have included an excursion into the Blue Mountains, an impressive one million hectares of tall forest, sunken valleys and stunning waterfalls just waiting to be explored.
Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney
Day 5 – Coffs Harbour
Your 12 day East Coast Australia escorted tour starts this morning, travelling north from Sydney to the coastal town of Coffs Harbour. From your accommodation nestled amongst sprawling tropical gardens, you’ll have the opportunity to wander down to Little Diggers Beach and Diggers Head. Enjoy the early evening sea breeze just like the locals do. Tonight enjoy a welcome reception and dinner with your Travel Director.
BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort
Day 6 – Gold Coast
Experience superb views over the Pacific Ocean this morning from Cape Byron, the easternmost point in Australia. You may spot migrating whales breaching not far offshore. A scenic coastal drive this afternoon takes you to the legendary holiday destination of the Gold Coast, where you’ll settle in for your two-night stay.
Novotel Surfers Paradise
Day 7 – Gold Coast
Today you have the freedom to enjoy the Gold Coast in your own style. Nature lovers may head to Mt. Tamborine, foodies explore the growing culinary culture or those needing relaxation just stroll down to the sand and salt of Surfers Paradise Beach.
Novotel Surfers Paradise
Day 8 – K’gari
Follow the waves north to Hervey Bay, the gateway to World Heritage-Listed K’gari (formerly Fraser Island). The ferry ride across the strait is a highlight, particularly during whale migration when these gentle giants come to the calm, protected waters to calve. Landing on K’gari, expect to see a lot of sand. This is, after all, the world’s largest sand island, and the only place in the world where rainforest grows from the sand.
Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’gari
Day 9 – K’gari
The island also has a really long sand highway, which you’ll get to zip along on a 4×4 K’gari island tour across 75 Mile Beach, all the way up the east coast to the Pinnacles Coloured Sands, calm Eli Creek and the Maheno shipwreck, which offers quite the photo op. Just when you thought the island couldn’t get any prettier, Lake McKenzie appears on the horizon, this dazzling patch of blue formed only with rainwater. It’s a hard act to follow, but the ancient rainforest at Central Station and Wanggoolba Creek lives up to the challenge with its huge satiny, scribbly gum and kauri trees.
Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’gari
Day 10 – Rockhampton
Visit Langmorn Station, a fully operational family run cattle station. Meet the Creed family and take a guided tour of the property including the original family homestead, built in 1873. Enjoy afternoon tea in the garden in the company of the pet kangaroo! Cross the Tropic of Capricorn as you arrive in Rockhampton, the beef capital of Australia. Your night is free so why not try some local beef at one of the town’s steakhouses.
Quality Hotel Regent, Rockhampton
Day 11 – Airlie Beach
Travel north to Sarina, Australia’s sugar capital, to the Sarina Sugar Shed, a miniature working sugar mill. On your tour you’ll get a peek into the sugar cane industry and witness sugar processing and distilling. You can taste test some of the products made on site before sitting down to a light lunch. Continue to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsundays. Spend the next two nights in this vibrant coastal town where you will have free time to explore at your own pace
Mantra Club Croc Airlie Beach
Day 12 – Airlie Beach
Today you have a choice. You can relax in Airlie Beach or enjoy optional experiences including a scenic helicopter flight over the iconic Heart Reef or cruise through the Whitsunday Islands to Whitehaven Beach, where you can kick back with a good book, take a swim, or try some of the fun beach activities.
Mantra Club Croc Airlie Beach
Day 13 – Cairns
Today you’ll head to Cairns along the Bruce Highway. Relax and take in the scenery as you travel through sugar cane fields and extensive farming land, nestled between the Coral Sea on one side and World Heritage rainforest on the other.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cairns
Day 14 – Cairns
Travel through the high tropical plateau known as the Atherton Tablelands, with its lush rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and peaceful lakes. Visit Millaa Millaa Falls and the famous 500-year-old Curtain Fig Tree and keep an eye out for the magnificent Ulysses Butterfly. Spend some free time in Kuranda, ‘the village in the rainforest’, before travelling on the Rainforest Skyrail Cableway. Your six-person gondola will take you through and high above the canopy of the Barron Gorge National Park
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cairns
Day 15 – Great Barrier Reef
Board a high-speed catamaran today and cruise out to the iconic Great Barrier Reef, the only living organism that can be seen from the moon. You’ll have the opportunity to go snorkelling (equipment provided) or view the spectacular coral and tropical fish from the underwater observatory and glass bottom boat. Enjoy a tropical buffet lunch on board, before you return in the late afternoon for a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and new-found friends.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cairns
Day 16 – Farewell from Cairns
Say farewell to your fellow travellers when your holiday comes to an end this morning after breakfast
Your Itinerary
You can customise your holiday by adding extra nights or destinations before or after your East Coast Australia tour. Just let us know what you would like to do
Day 1 to 4
| Sydney
Feel the excitement build as you arrive in Australia’s most iconic city. With four nights at your centrally located hotel you have time to explore Sydney at your leisure.
Wandering through the Royal Botanic Gardens is a must, arriving at Sydney Opera House, where you can enjoy a drink in the waterside bar over looking Sydney Harbour Bridge. You could also catch a ferry to Manley, take a dip in the famous Iceberg Pools, built into the rocks at Bondi Beach, or try out the restaurants in Darling Harbour. The choice is yours!
On a day of your choice, we have included an excursion into the Blue Mountains, an impressive one million hectares of tall forest, sunken valleys and stunning waterfalls just waiting to be explored.
Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney
Day 5
| Coffs Harbour
Your 12 day East Coast Australia escorted tour starts this morning, travelling north from Sydney to the coastal town of Coffs Harbour. From your accommodation nestled amongst sprawling tropical gardens, you’ll have the opportunity to wander down to Little Diggers Beach and Diggers Head. Enjoy the early evening sea breeze just like the locals do. Tonight enjoy a welcome reception and dinner with your Travel Director.
BreakFree Aanuka Beach Resort
Day 6
| Gold Coast
Experience superb views over the Pacific Ocean this morning from Cape Byron, the easternmost point in Australia. You may spot migrating whales breaching not far offshore. A scenic coastal drive this afternoon takes you to the legendary holiday destination of the Gold Coast, where you’ll settle in for your two-night stay.
Novotel Surfers Paradise
Day 7
| Gold Coast
Today you have the freedom to enjoy the Gold Coast in your own style. Nature lovers may head to Mt. Tamborine, foodies explore the growing culinary culture or those needing relaxation just stroll down to the sand and salt of Surfers Paradise Beach.
Novotel Surfers Paradise
Day 8
| K’gari
Follow the waves north to Hervey Bay, the gateway to World Heritage-Listed K’gari (formerly Fraser Island). The ferry ride across the strait is a highlight, particularly during whale migration when these gentle giants come to the calm, protected waters to calve. Landing on K’gari, expect to see a lot of sand. This is, after all, the world’s largest sand island, and the only place in the world where rainforest grows from the sand.
Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’gari
Day 9
| K’gari
The island also has a really long sand highway, which you’ll get to zip along on a 4×4 K’gari island tour across 75 Mile Beach, all the way up the east coast to the Pinnacles Coloured Sands, calm Eli Creek and the Maheno shipwreck, which offers quite the photo op. Just when you thought the island couldn’t get any prettier, Lake McKenzie appears on the horizon, this dazzling patch of blue formed only with rainwater. It’s a hard act to follow, but the ancient rainforest at Central Station and Wanggoolba Creek lives up to the challenge with its huge satiny, scribbly gum and kauri trees.
Kingfisher Bay Resort, K’gari
Day 10
| Rockhampton
Visit Langmorn Station, a fully operational family run cattle station. Meet the Creed family and take a guided tour of the property including the original family homestead, built in 1873. Enjoy afternoon tea in the garden in the company of the pet kangaroo! Cross the Tropic of Capricorn as you arrive in Rockhampton, the beef capital of Australia. Your night is free so why not try some local beef at one of the town’s steakhouses.
Quality Hotel Regent, Rockhampton
Day 11
| Airlie Beach
Travel north to Sarina, Australia’s sugar capital, to the Sarina Sugar Shed, a miniature working sugar mill. On your tour you’ll get a peek into the sugar cane industry and witness sugar processing and distilling. You can taste test some of the products made on site before sitting down to a light lunch. Continue to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsundays. Spend the next two nights in this vibrant coastal town where you will have free time to explore at your own pace
Mantra Club Croc Airlie Beach
Day 12
| Airlie Beach
Today you have a choice. You can relax in Airlie Beach or enjoy optional experiences including a scenic helicopter flight over the iconic Heart Reef or cruise through the Whitsunday Islands to Whitehaven Beach, where you can kick back with a good book, take a swim, or try some of the fun beach activities.
Mantra Club Croc Airlie Beach
Day 13
| Cairns
Today you’ll head to Cairns along the Bruce Highway. Relax and take in the scenery as you travel through sugar cane fields and extensive farming land, nestled between the Coral Sea on one side and World Heritage rainforest on the other.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cairns
Day 14
| Cairns
Travel through the high tropical plateau known as the Atherton Tablelands, with its lush rainforest, spectacular waterfalls and peaceful lakes. Visit Millaa Millaa Falls and the famous 500-year-old Curtain Fig Tree and keep an eye out for the magnificent Ulysses Butterfly. Spend some free time in Kuranda, ‘the village in the rainforest’, before travelling on the Rainforest Skyrail Cableway. Your six-person gondola will take you through and high above the canopy of the Barron Gorge National Park
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cairns
Day 15
| Great Barrier Reef
Board a high-speed catamaran today and cruise out to the iconic Great Barrier Reef, the only living organism that can be seen from the moon. You’ll have the opportunity to go snorkelling (equipment provided) or view the spectacular coral and tropical fish from the underwater observatory and glass bottom boat. Enjoy a tropical buffet lunch on board, before you return in the late afternoon for a Farewell Dinner with your Travel Director and new-found friends.
DoubleTree by Hilton, Cairns
Day 16
| Farewell from Cairns
Say farewell to your fellow travellers when your holiday comes to an end this morning after breakfast
This Tour Includes
Flights & More
With FREEDOM, you can book your East Coast Islands & Rainforest with Sydney escorted tour & city stay and flights together, as an ATOL protected package. Our Travel Experts can find the best priced Economy, Premium or Business Class flights for you.
You can also personalise your holiday. Why not add:
- Extra nights in Cairns after your tour
- A stopover to Australia in Dubai, Singapore or another destination
- A behind-the-scenes tour of the Sydney Opera House
Next Step
Please get in touch with our Australia Experts to start planning your holiday. You’ll have a single point of contact from your first enquiry through booking.
East Coast Islands & Rainforest with Sydney
16 day Escorted Tour & City Stay – from £4825 £4400
With flights from £5650
All prices are per person, based on two people sharing a double or twin room and include meals shown. Seasonal supplements may apply. Please call Freedom Destinations to confirm departure dates and availability.
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