G'Day Backpacker Jobs — Backpacker & Casual Work Australia

All road trips

NSW, QLD

Sydney to Brisbane — Legendary Pacific Coast

The classic NSW-to-Queensland road trip, balancing beaches, food and wildlife.

Build a day-by-day driving plan

Suggested days
9 suggested days · 6 as a shorter start
Vehicle
2WD on suitable sealed routes

Stops, in order

  1. 1Sydney
  2. 2Newcastle
  3. 3Hunter Valley
  4. 4Port Stephens
  5. 5Forster
  6. 6Port Macquarie
  7. 7Coffs Harbour
  8. 8Yamba
  9. 9Byron Bay
  10. 10Gold Coast
  11. 11Brisbane

No driving time or distance is shown. A straight line on a map would be wrong for ferries, the Gulf, Cape York and the Kimberley.

Day by day

  1. Days 1–2

    Sydney → Newcastle

    Sydney: harbour walks, beaches and city experiences; Newcastle: ocean baths, surf and café culture.

    Suggested overnight: Newcastle

  2. Days 3–4

    Hunter Valley → Port Stephens

    Hunter Valley: wine-country scenery and local food; Port Stephens: dolphin cruises and Stockton sand dunes.

    Suggested overnight: Port Stephens

  3. Days 5–6

    Forster → Port Macquarie

    Forster: lakes and long sandy beaches; Port Macquarie: coastal walk, beaches and wildlife centres.

    Suggested overnight: Port Macquarie

  4. Day 7

    Coffs Harbour

    Coffs Harbour: Jetty precinct, coastal walks and nearby beaches.

    Suggested overnight: Coffs Harbour

  5. Day 8

    Yamba → Byron Bay

    Yamba: a relaxed surf village and headland walks; Byron Bay: Cape Byron walking tracks, surf beaches and sunrise views.

    Suggested overnight: Byron Bay

  6. Day 9

    Gold Coast → Brisbane

    Gold Coast: beach suburbs and hinterland outings; Brisbane: South Bank, river life and city cultural stops.

    Suggested overnight: Brisbane

Things to do

Hunter Valley tasting excursion; Port Stephens dolphin cruise; Byron surf lesson.

Ideas only. There is no booking button, price or tour link until a real product is approved.

Find work near this route

These towns are editorial hubs. A regional town is not automatically 88-day eligible. That depends on your visa, the work, the postcode and current Home Affairs rules.

Each link opens the live job board. If nothing is listed, that search is empty. It is not a hidden vacancy.

Producer names from the directory

Matched by town name in the source file. Not checked as nearby by road, and not known to be hiring.

  • Douglas Vale Historic Homestead & Vineyard (Port Macquarie, NSW)
  • Ricardoes Tomatoes and Strawberries (Port Macquarie, NSW)
  • River Bend Meats (Hunter Valley, NSW)
  • MGF Meats (Hunter Valley, NSW).

Open the farm directory — a list of places, not job ads. Sign in to view it.

Road, ferry and access

  • Hunter Valley is an inland detour, not the direct coastal route.

Specified work rules: subclass 417 and subclass 462. This page is a travel guide, not migration advice.