East Coast: 6 Hidden Places You MUST Visit
Planning your Australian East Coast adventure? Make sure these places are on your list.
Seal Rocks: A quiet, tucked away beach situated just a few hours north of Sydney. This beach is well off the beaten track, and we were so happy we turned off the main free way to explore it. You can climb up the rocks on the end and, depending on the time of year, see seals basking in the sun or even whales swimming far out at sea.
Wooyung Beach: Also well off the beaten track is Wooyung, a beach that looks like something off the front of a dream holiday brochure. It’s so isolated that when we got there we were the only ones on the entire beach for miles. The sea was the clearest we had seen yet, though you do have to be careful for jellyfish. You can also drive pretty much straight onto the sand!
Camping at Horizon’s Kangaroo Sanctuary: We found this tiny campsite by chance, and we were so thankful we stumbled upon it. As you drive up to the entrance, the gates open and the campsite is on top of a huge hill with 360 degree views of Agnes Water and 1770, Australia’s oldest town. As I stepped out of the drivers seat, I had to be so careful opening the door as two joey’s we’re chilling right by the van! In the morning we set our alarms for 5.30am to watch the sunrise, and it was the most magical sight. We sat in our camping chairs drinking coffee, stroking kangaroo’s and watching the sun as it rose in the sky. A must visit!!
Rambutan Hostel in Townsville: Though we didn’t stay in many hostels up the east coast, this particular one was recommended by a friend, and so after our Magnetic Island trip we treated ourselves to two nights in hostel beds. Rambutan doesn’t feel anything like a hostel, it actually feels more like a fancy hotel getaway. The pool area is luxury, with comfortable beds and a chilled bar. The decor and the vibe of the whole hostel makes it the perfect place to relax and chill out for a couple of nights, and the best part is - the beds are pretty affordable, its only $25 per night.
Butterfly Forest on Magnetic Island: This place really did feel surreal. We only found it due to picking up two Italian hitchhikers who (literally) jumped on the back of our 4x4 and insisted we must visit butterfly forest. We followed their vague directions and managed to find the sign “HORSESHOE BAY STATE SCHOOL” - as you walk under the sign and follow the path round, if you gently tap the trees, hundreds of butterflies of all colours, shapes and sizes will fly overheard! It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
Daintree Ice Cream Co: We spent a day exploring the Daintree Rainforest, a couple of hours north of Cairns. It was so much fun because it was so wildly different to the rest of our trip (which has mainly consisted of beaches). Inside the rainforest we found a little organic ice cream farm, which was so cute. They grow fresh tropical fruits in the orchard and then make it into delicious ice cream. It was so fresh and tasty, they change the 4 flavours every day depending on what fruit they have available. It has been voted by Lonely Planet as the most scenic ice cream company in the world!
