The Ultimate Guide to The Great Beach Drive Road Trip

Sponsored by Sunshine Coast Tourism and Tourism Queensland

Of the 55,000 kilometres we drove round Australia on our 18-month street journey, solely as soon as did we enterprise onto the seashore in our automobile.

We didn’t have a four-wheel drive, due to this fact seashore driving wasn’t an possibility and we needed to persist with bitumen or stable grime roads.

So, leaping in a four-wheel drive rent automotive and taking over Australia’s Sunshine Coast Nice Seaside Drive from Noosa’s North Shore to Rainbow Seaside confirmed there’s just one strategy to do a lap of Australia subsequent time – with a 4×4!

However what’s the Nice Seaside Drive and how are you going to do it your self? On this information, we’ll inform you the whole lot it is advisable know!

Is the Nice Seaside Drive Price It?

The Nice Seaside Drive is not only a strategy to get off the traditional manner of journey and expertise the fun of journey, however it additionally places you nearer to nature, having been surrounded by an abundance of wildlife that’s native to Australia, similar to Kangaroos, turtles, whales, dolphins and 1000’s of chook species.

In addition to this, you get to cease at white sandy seashores and camp subsequent to the ocean, sipping beer whereas stargazing in an area that’s unpolluted with road lights.

Get up at dawn and see migrating whales swimming off the shore (in case you journey between July and November).

For a lot of, it’s a as soon as in a lifetime expertise. So for these causes, it’s completely value it to do the Nice Seaside Drive.

The place is the Nice Seaside Drive?

The Nice Seaside Drive is named one in every of Australia’s finest shortcuts as a result of as a substitute of taking the M1 (Bruce Freeway) from the Sunshine Coast to Rainbow Seaside through Gympie, you’re taking the prettier and faster Seaside Freeway.

On one facet you’ve miles of glowing Pacific Ocean and on the opposite the Nice Sandy Nationwide Park. 

Why take the busy and boring M1 when you may take Australia’s nature coast expressway?! That is my sort of commute.

We picked up our 4×4 at Fleet Crew in Brisbane and drove from there. In case you are leaving from Brisbane or The Gold Coast, it’s a 3.5-hour drive to the gateway to the Nice Seaside Drive at Teewah.

Teewah Seaside is the entry level to the UNESCO Nice Sandy biosphere, which takes in rainforest, marine parks and historic sand dunes, and is residence to numerous uncommon and endangered animals, in addition to over half of Australia’s chook species.

When you cross Noosa North Shore, your journey begins at Tewantin, down the street from Noosaville on the Sunshine Coast.

Methods to Get To The Nice Seaside Drive

To get to the seashore, you will need to take a ferry. The Noosa North Shore Automotive Ferry dropped us throughout the river heads to Noosa’s North Shore.

The ferry prices round $10 for the standard automotive and operates seven days every week.

When you drive off the ferry observe the street all the way in which to the shoreline and take the third sand exit onto the seashore.

You’ve simply entered paradise.

The Nice Seaside Drive stretches for 50 kilometres and is also referred to as the Cooloola Coast, a distant strip of seashore backed by the Nice Sandy Biosphere Reserves, one of many few UNESCO biosphere reserves on the planet.

No visitors lights on this street, and in case you keep away from the height Christmas and Easter holidays, little visitors.

This lengthy stretch of seashore is also referred to as Teewah Seaside and despite the fact that you’re driving on sand, regular street guidelines apply, together with a velocity restrict of 60 km/hr.

One other necessary factor to notice is when high and low tide is, as you solely wish to be driving alongside this stretch for 2 hours on both facet of LOW tide!

On the way in which up the seashore take the chance to cease (safely) and take some ocean photographs and pictures of the bordering Nationwide Park.

Finest Time to Do The Nice Seaside Drive

One of the best time to go to the Nice Seaside Drive is between the months of July to September as there’s the possibility of recognizing migrating whales who head north to hotter waters alongside Australia’s East Coast.

We have been a little bit early for whales however have been having a lot enjoyable making tracks within the yellow sands and exploring a novel a part of Australia we had but to go to.

Stops on the Nice Seaside Drive

After all, driving on the Nice Seaside Drive is an expertise in itself. When you’ve by no means pushed on a seashore earlier than there’s one thing in regards to the soothing sound of the waves shut by and the contemporary air in your face.

However it’s not all in regards to the drive. There are many stops alongside the way in which that it is best to take to interrupt up the journey.

Listed here are some locations we suggest you go to.

Purple Canyon

The Purple Canyon is among the most spectacular spots on The Nice Seaside Drive.

The canyon is made up of vibrant crimson and yellow rock formations, which have been as soon as used as a gathering place by the indigenous Gubbi Gubbi individuals. It’s stated it was a secret assembly place for ladies of the tribe.

You may hike as much as the highest of the canyon and get unimaginable views of the Teawah Seaside beneath.

Double Island Level

On the finish of Teewah Seaside is Double Island Level, and we timed our cease completely to coincide with a lunch break.

We parked our automotive on the backside and did the two-kilometre stroll up the headland to the Double Island Level Lighthouse, which provided spectacular ocean and seashore views over Teewah Seaside and all the way in which to the Fraser Coast.

It was a terrific alternative to get out of the automotive and stretch our legs. We took a light-weight lunch and let the youngsters run off some vitality across the base of the lighthouse.

When you don’t do lunch right here, at the least take a bottle of water on the stroll, particularly in the summertime months! And hold your eyes peeled for a pod of dolphins browsing the waves.

You may as well take the quick Leisha Observe, an inland observe from Double Island Level to the Teewah coast. This observe takes you into the sand dunes for a little bit of dune bashing enjoyable!

And naturally, look out for these migrating whales in season (July – November)!

Rainbow Seaside

Again in our automotive we drove alongside the quick entry street from Double Island Level and entered Rainbow Seaside, and have been like wow!

One other entire world of paradise opened up earlier than our eyes.

We headed in direction of the city of Rainbow Seaside passing the well-known multi-coloured sands with completely different shades of yellow, oranges and reds, in addition to cliffs with the identical colors alongside the way in which.

It was presumably probably the most spectacular stretch of the entire seashore drive.

Time your drive with the tide is tremendous necessary right here because the water comes proper in towards the cliffs. It was getting on within the day and the tide was coming in, so we needed to time our moments with the water retreating after the waves had are available in.

We made it across the bend to city and grabbed a espresso while the youngsters performed on the playground overlooking the seashore beneath.

Rainbow Seaside is a tiny city with a vacation vibe on the base of the Inskip Peninsula. If you wish to, you may even proceed your Nice Seaside Drive with quick access to Fraser Island, solely one other 10 minutes away by barge.

However our drive ended right here, it was time to modify from the motorised model of 4×4 for a four-legged animal. We have been taking over Rainbow Seaside on horseback.

Horse Driving on Rainbow Seaside

Rainbow Seaside is particular in additional methods than one, being one of many solely locations within the State the place you may go horse using on a seashore.

This was going to be a novel household expertise for us. We’d ridden horses earlier than alongside trails, however by no means alongside the sting of the surf on a pristine stretch of seashore.

Andrew, proprietor of Rainbow Seaside Horse Rides enthusiastically talked about that Rainbow Seaside had been featured on the entrance cowl of the 2012 publication of “101 finest seashores of Australia”. And the Huffington Put up ranked it at quantity 5 of their article “9 of the Most Unbelievable Seashores within the World”

That’s some fairly good creds proper there!

Andrew and his crew fastidiously matched us up with our horses, and little three-year-old Savannah even had her personal horse, which was so cute, and was led alongside the seashore by Andrew on his horse. She did awesomely!

As did Kalyra who was additionally safely led.

After all, we declined the chance to trot or canter, and easily relaxed as we rode for 90 minutes up and down the seashore.

The realm through which they conduct their rides is the one stretch of seashore between Noosa and the Northern tip of Fraser Island (about 300 kilometres) the place autos usually are not allowed.

Once more, in case you time your go to proper for whale season, being on horseback provides you additional elevation for recognizing whales and dolphins.

However in case you don’t go to in whale season there’s each probability you’ll be handled to a different present like us, as Rainbow Seaside lived as much as its title and displayed a gorgeous rainbow that framed our household photograph.

Not solely that, however throughout the water, you’ve World Heritage-listed Fraser Island as your backdrop.

Can it get a lot better?

Inskip Level Tenting

On that journey round Australia, one of many drawbacks was the numerous organising and packing up of our camper trailer. It wears skinny after some time, particularly in case you’re continuously transferring round.

So it was a refreshing change to only rock as much as our campsite on the Inskip Peninsula and actually have the whole lot already arrange.

The tent, the beds, the massive tarp containing the kitchen and eating space, the moveable bathe and bathroom, the tables and chairs, and all of the food and drinks chilling within the huge esky.

You title it, it was able to go!

All we needed to do was chill in our camp chair, Caz claimed the hammock, with a chilly drink in hand as the youngsters performed on the seashore in entrance of us.

Did I point out we had absolute seashore frontage and a hearth pit able to go for toasting marshmallows later within the night?

Pure bliss.

Though I did need to rise up out of my camp chair to take a handy guide a rough of the solar taking place. And to tug Caz out of her hammock to assist put together our dinner, lol.

After dinner, we sat mesmerized across the hearth, toasted up these marshmallows with the youngsters, loved a number of crimson wines, and fell asleep to the calming sound of the ocean.

The following morning we merely rolled off the bed, took a morning stroll alongside the seashore, and ate breakfast by the ocean.

That is stress-free tenting all the way in which and could be an superior possibility for a big household or group of mates who don’t personal their very own tools or don’t have the time and vitality for arrange.

Rainbow Seaside Rent a Camp is owned and operated by the pleasant Rachel who leaves nothing to spare. How about these advantages:

• the final word in Australian seashore tenting lodging.
• a camp prepared and ready for you – all it is advisable do is arrive.
• Tenting or glamping? You select – from a fundamental setup to 1 with all of the luxuries.
• Absolute seashore frontage with Fraser Island views.
• 10 minutes from Rainbow Seaside.

Rachel says tenting is for everybody – younger or outdated, there isn’t a discrimination towards having enjoyable!

The Inskip Peninsula Protected space overlooks World Heritage Listed Fraser Island and the Nice Sandy Biosphere. You may catch a small barge from Inskip level throughout to the southern tip of Fraser Island.

When you don’t wish to camp, you may keep within the small neighborhood at Rainbow Seaside. It’s possible you’ll just like the Rainbow Sea Resort or the Rainbow Ocean Palms Resort.

From right here, you may both return again to Noosa alongside the seashore or freeway or proceed on to Fraser Island – sure it is best to!

What else is there to do close to the Nice Seaside Drive?

The Nice Seaside Drive is sandwiched between the Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Coast, two of probably the most pristine and spectacular areas in Queensland. Listed here are a number of different issues we suggest you match into your Nice Seaside Drive Itinerary

Australia Zoo

We determined to make it an extra-long weekend away and the day earlier than we began our Nice Seaside Drive, we stopped off at Australia Zoo on the way in which as much as Noosaville from our residence on the Gold Coast.

Australia Zoo is an hour’s drive north of Brisbane, and after choosing up our rent automotive arrived in time to catch the famed Wildlife Warriors Present on the Crocoseum, delivered to life by the late nice Steve Irwin himself.

This present was Steve’s dream, a strategy to present and educate individuals about crocs and the way they behave within the wild. We’ve seen a number of croc exhibits across the nation and this one remains to be the perfect.

The massive salty placed on a dying roll show and launches itself full physique from the water snapping at its prey.

Additionally on show are free-flight birds, snakes, and dingoes.

From the crocoseum, we ducked subsequent door to see the koalas, and one mummy had a child cuddled up together with her and crawled onto her again. We’ve by no means seen a child koala earlier than, this was wonderful and so cute!!

We handed via the kangaroo enclosure after which shut by was the majestic Sumatran tigers on the Tiger Temple. The women have been in awe of the dimensions of those huge cats and their energy and leaping potential.

A brand new addition on the zoo is Bindi’s Island – an island wildlife haven the place ring-tailed lemurs roam free and you’ll see large Aldabra tortoises, macaws, boa constrictors, and an alligator snapping turtle. Climb up into Bindi’s three-story treehouse for sweeping views of the zoo.

Subsequent up we headed to the African Savannah part to see the household of giraffes, white rhinos, zebras, and cheetahs.

Our half-day zoo go to concluded on the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital subsequent door in the primary automotive park the place for a $2 donation you may take a sneak peek contained in the hospital.

This facility treats injured native wildlife from across the area, and up to now over 58,000 native animals have been handled right here in its 11-year historical past!

Little Savannah was valuable as she sat caringly subsequent to a sick koala who was nonetheless below anesthetic after surgical procedure.

Noosaville

We stayed in a single day in Noosaville on the Ivory Palms, a tropical resort 90 minutes north of Brisbane, earlier than beginning our Nice Seaside Drive early the subsequent day.

Noosaville is situated alongside the picturesque Noosa river with loads of cafes, and parks and is a quieter various to staying in Noosa itself. Make sure to take a stroll alongside the foreshore.

When you time your go to proper, we just like the Sunday Farmer’s Market in Noosa. The very best smoothie we’ve ever had was from The Sunflower Resort retailer.

We had a scrumptious dinner on the Boat Home Restaurant proper on the water, which might be even higher within the daytime so you might admire the attractive view.

Kayak the Noosa Everglades

The Noosa everglades are a sequence of waterways and tropical wetland and swampy land that join the Northern Noosa River system to the ocean close to the Sunshine Coast.

The everglades are nestled amongst two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, the Noosa and the Cooloola area of the Nice Sandy Nationwide Park. 

We determined to kayak a 16 km spherical journey from Lake Cootharaba, which took us out into the center of nowhere in a pristine pure setting with solely the sounds of the birds flying and the water lapping towards our boat and the lily pads.

Or you may mix a brief kayaking journey with a ship tour, in case you don’t fancy paddling for too lengthy.

Hervey Bay

Though it’s situated a little bit additional north of the Nice Seaside Drive, it is best to positively contemplate taking a visit over to Hervey Bay when you accomplished the journey.

It’s one of many primary seashores in Australia to see humpback whales throughout whale migrating season, as a result of the waters are protected and calm – so that they like to swim right here to play within the heat waters.

We noticed whales from Hervey Bay on a whale-watching tour and it was one of many highlights of our Australia street journey.

Fraser Island (Ok’gari)

Little doubt one of many important causes to do the Nice Seaside Drive from the Sunshine Coast is to finally find yourself at Fraser Island, or Ok’gari because it’s identified to the aboriginal individuals.

Fraser Island is the biggest sand island on the planet and is the place you may proceed the 4×4 seashore drive adventures, for the reason that solely street on the island is the 75 mile seashore freeway.

Cease off on the freshwater lakes similar to Lake McKenzie or Lake Wabby for a swim within the crystal-clear cool waters, hunt for shipwrecks on the ocean shoreline, make a journey to the Champagne Swimming pools or Eli Creek, look out for dingoes who stay on the island, or take a scenic flight to identify whales off the coast.

Fraser Island is packed filled with adventurous sights and limitless enjoyable, so it could be a disgrace to finish this Nice Seaside Drive and never take the automobile ferry throughout probably the most thrilling island in Australia!

FAQs About The Nice Seaside Drive

Right here’s what individuals often ask us in regards to the Nice Seaside Drive…

Last Ideas on the Nice Seaside Drive

So there you’ve it, that is the whole lot it is advisable know in regards to the Nice Seaside Drive, and as you may see, there may be a lot to see and do apart from simply driving for the fun and pure exhilaration of four-wheel driving.

If in case you have time, I like to recommend you do the total Nice Seaside Drive connecting the Noosa North Shore to the township of Rainbow Seaside part and including on the 75 Mile Seaside part of Fraser Island.

Queensland, you retain including to my listing of issues to do!