Sunshine Way - Tropical North NSW - South East QLD
If you like to pack as much into your road trip as possible, you would be hard pressed to find a more rewarding and memorable "Road-venture", than a holiday along the Sunshine Way - Byron Bay NSW - Hervey Bay QLD.
The Sunshine Way road tour holiday is suitable journey for all ages. You can do this trip in your normal car, motorhome or camper, but if you want some excellent "off road" adventure, we recommend you bring or hire a 4WD to reach some of the beautiful beach locations that are accessible by 4WD. Due to the ideal temperatures of the the Sunshine Way regions, this is a holiday that can be comfortably enjoyed most any month of the year. To fully appreciate this wonderful road journey the Sunshine Way, we recommend a minimum of 10 days, but you could easily spend a month and still have missed some highlights.
The highlights include beautifully laid back Byron Bay region, with its alternative lifestyle qualities and the fertile hinterland towns of Mullumbimby, Nimbin, through to the pituresque fishing port of Brunswick Heads and Pottsville, to the Tweed Heads - Coolongatta Queensland border. There is excellent surfing, fishing, water sports and shopping along the way. For nature lovers there is whale watching available from Byron Bay and hinterland rain forests and National Parks. On to the Gold Coast section of the Sunshine Way , where you will enjoy a range of activities from exciting theme parks, warm patrolled beaches , excellent restaurants and shopping and if it takes your fancy - some high action niteclubs and bars around Surfers Paradise. About an hours drive north, you will come across the capital of Queensland, Brisbane. This is worth a night or 2 stay, as there is great shopping in the city and the city of Brisbane has grown into a cosmopolitian experience, with South Bank and the Valley's Chinatown well worth a visit.
On to the Sunshine Coast via the old Bruce Highway past the magificent Glass House Mountains, which is a great place to stop and visit the National Park for sunrise breakfast or bbq dinner at sunset. You can also go ballooning over the Glass House Mountains at sunrise - what an experience! There are many road side stall for fresh local fruit and vege's along the way. Then along the route drive up to Caloundra, the first beach town you will visit. A very peacful and relaxing town with great fishing and surfing beaches and amenities. There are many great waterways on the Sunshine Coast to enjoy a range of watersports, from Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Coolum Beach to Noosa. Perfect white sandy beaches and warm water. There are also some excellent National Parks to visit, with a variety of wildlife and birds to enjoy. Go into the hinterland and you will come across rainforests, antique shopping, and swimming holes. Maleny is central to the tourist drive of the hinterland. If you have a 4WD, we recommend a trip up to Fraser Island - The worlds largest sand island. You can also go whale spotting from this region. Camping and quality accommodation is available on Fraser Island.
The Sunshine Way provides a great all round holiday and will be remembered and enjoyed - for years to come.
(all photo's courtesy of Tourism NSW & Tourism Queensland)
