Campervan Road Trip Reviews by Our Customers
Here is one of our customers who hired a 3 person campervan from Sydney to Cairns. This was their first road trip in Australia and recently flew in from Holland. They hired one of our great 3 person campervan for hire.
Sydney to the Blue Mountains
Drove away from Sydney around 1pm over M4 motorway. Roughly an hour later we arrived at the Blue Mountains Visitor Centre as we drove through the foothills of these Rock formations. Half an hour later we arrived at the camp site in Katoomba, a nice semi-large town in the Blue Mountains. In this Katoomba Falls Caravan Park we stayed for 2 nights. It has clean and proper toilets and showers and washing machines which you can use for $4. Even ironing boards are provided. First day we ate at the Chinese Restaurant which was very good. The next morning we headed of towards Echo Point in Katoomba Falls for an exploration of the local scenery. We choose a hike that took us past the Three Sisters, down the Giant Steps (recommend that you do it from the top to the bottom, 980 steps) and over the Scenic Walkway towards the Railway (steepest passenger train in the world). After this hike we drove into town to fuel our hunger with pizza and beers at the Station Bar. Pizza actually wasn’t that great, but the atmosphere reminded us of a French after ski afternoon. Everyone rosy and happy after a cold day of outdoor exercise. Next day we headed of through the mountains (Via Bell) towards Hunter Valley (Singleton).
From the Blue Mountains to Cresent Head
Instead of driving from the Blue Mountains to Hunter Valley we decided to continue through to Seal Rocks for some surfing. We took the road through the mountains from Katoomba to Singleton via Bells. Take care that you keep your fuel tanks filled since there are long stretches of road without a service stations. After a long drive we arrived around 6pm in Seal Rocks in the rain. We choose the first Caravan Park of the town which turned out to be the only one. Next morning we took a short hike up to the light house to check out the view of this place. It is located on a land tip and has beaches all around. So no matter where the wind is coming from, there will be a beach with waves to surf on. It is a very small town and we couldn’t find a pub or supermarket. After taking a couple of waves we decided to drive up to Crescent Head.
Seal Rocks to Byron Bay
From Seal Rocks to Crescent Head is about a two – three hour drive. Crescent Head is a small surf town which has all necessary stores, one or two pubs and a golf course. Crescent Head is the town of Australia for long board surfers and we had the luck that there was a surf contest for all ages that weekend. We stayed at the only Caravan Park in town which was pretty good and right next to the sea. During the day the surfing was excellent with reef breaks, sand breaks, high waves and medium waves. We cooked in the camper which went surprisingly well and then off to explore the nightlife, which turned out to be none existent in this town. After staying here for two days we drove on to Byron Bay.
Byron Bay to Brisbane
From Crescent Head it was a couple of hours drive to Byron Bay. We stayed at First Sun Caravan Park, $40 a night. It is a nice and clean site and very close to the town center which is great for going out for a bite or drink. However, it can be somewhat noisy since there is a bar just around the corner that was playing loud music at that time. Nice atmosphere in the town but unfortunately experienced some bad weather, so no surfing for us. We took the loop hike to the lighthouse in the next morning and spotted some dolphins riding the waves into the bay. Because of the weather decided to jump back in the camper and drive to Brisbane.
Brisbane to Tin Can Bay
Noosa is home to the largest amount of roundabouts we ever saw in one single city. It’s quite confusing but with a map it is all quite clear. The buildings in the city aren’t allowed to be build higher than the treetops which results in a nice setting. We stayed at the Caravan Park Closest to the city center which was $39 per night. All amenities are available but it is still a 25 minute walk to the city center(s). There are two more Caravan Parks which are a couple of dollars cheaper per night but even further away. We had 2 great days of surfing and went to the local cinema. The cinema was great but rather quiet on a Wednesday evening. After two days we had seen enough and went to Tin Can Bay.
Tin Can Bay to Rainbow Beach
Tin Can Bay is a small seaside village on the other side of the river of Rainbow Beach, about 30 minutes’ drive. It is nice and quiet with nonexistent nightlife. However, the stay, Kingfisher Caravan Park, was just $23 per night and the Yacht Club had excellent meals for low prices. In the morning around 7:30 there are dolphins at the local restaurant which you can feed for $5. A lot of fun! This little town is definitely a good alternative instead of staying in Rainbow Beach.
Rainbow Beach to Fraser Island
Since we hired a high-top 2 wheel drive Travel Wheels camper, we couldn’t take the camper itself onto Fraser Island. A 4WD is a bare necessity in this place. We booked 2-night, 3-day tour with Dingo’s which started from Rainbow Beach. It was a tour with 3, 4WD cars and 8 persons per car. During the day you get to drive the cars around Fraser Island in a convoy, passing all the spectacular scenes that the largest sand island in the world has to offer. During the evenings you cook your meals with your fellow travelers (and skulking dingo’s) after which the goon is taken out of the coolers to celebrate the warm evenings and star filled skies. This 3 day tour was very good. We saw a lot of wildlife, breathtaking views and amazing lagoons.
Town 1770 and Agnes Water
Town 1770 and Agnes Water are two coastal towns that have not yet been overrun by touristic masses. They are situated just a 10 minute drive from each other where Agnes Water is the bigger town of the two. Just above Town 1770 the Great Barrier Reef starts and there are a couple of islands that can already be visited. However, the Great Barrier Reef also stops the swell, making this the last place to go surfing. Both towns have in total 4 caravan parks which are all roughly the same price (around $30 – $35 for a powered site). We stayed at 1770 Camping Grounds, the most northern caravan park in Town 1770. From this beach front camp site you get a stunning view as the sun sets over the town and the beaches. If you were to take a short hike to the lookout point you might even see some dolphins jumping out of the water. One of the most fun and famous activities to do in these towns is the Scooteroo. You will be dressed in a leather flaming jacket, flaming helmet and tattoos and you’ll hit the road with a massive group of fellow ‘bikers’. You all get to drive your own scooter which is overhauled into a chopper. It is a lot of fun as you cruise in a pack over the roads and see small towns overrun by kangaroos. These two towns have a lot to offer for trips, activities or just chilling and surfing on the beach. A good place to relax for a couple of days.
Mackay to Eungella
Mackay is an industrious coastal town which we only visited for some lunch and coffee. It didn’t appeal to us that much so we decided to head west, into the mainland towards Eungella. About 1 to 1,5 hours’ drive from Mackay lies Eungella, settled deep in the mountains. You need to take a winding and sometimes steep road to get there which can be rather slippery when it’s raining. Eungella has just one Caravan Park which is amazing to say the least. It is not expensive ($25 powered site) and you will get an amazing view over the rainforest that lies below. It is a very small camp site but is still has a couple of BBQ’s, nice seating and dining areas and homely amenities. Eungella is surrounded by tropical and temperate rainforest and just a 15 minute drive away is Broken River, world’s most likely site to spot a platypus. Be there around dawn or dusk which is the time the platypus are the most active. If the weather is good, Eungella is a very nice place to stay a couple of days and do some rainforest hikes.
Airlie Beach
Airlie Beach is one of the main gateways into the Whitsunday Islands. The town itself is not that large, offering one main street filled with clubs, pubs, shops, hostels and places to eat. A couple of minutes drive away from the main street is a shopping center to bunk up for your stay. The town has a couple of caravan parks all situated quite a walking distance away from the main street. We have chosen not to stay at a caravan park, since there are plenty of nice spots around Airley Beach to park for the night. We booked a 2 day – 2 night sailing trip with Explore Whitsundays which was simply amazing. For a small fee we could park the camper at the marina which is patrolled during the day and night. The sailing ship carried 25 passengers and we sailed by and anchored a couple of the most beautiful spots of the Whitsundays. The food is prepared by the crew while the passengers soak up the sun or go snorkeling amongst the colorful fish and corals. This trip is definitely something to recommend for anyone who enjoys being in and on the water and enjoys splendors of nature.
Townsville to Mission Beach
From Airley Beach to Mission Beach is quite a long drive so stopping for lunch at Townsville is a welcome break. Driving up to Castle Hill is a steep winding climb, but definitely worth the trip. On top you get a spectacular panoramic view over Townsville, its beach, the sea and Magnetic Island. At the end of the day we arrived at Mission Beach getting a spectacular view of the moonlit sea and town. The first night we camped at the lookout point, providing an even more spectacular sunrise. The second night we stayed at Mission Beach Caravan Park, providing us with all the necessary facilities and a powered site for only $19 per night. In Townsville you can make the most beautiful skydive of the east coast of Australia and maybe of the entire country. You will jump out of the airplane above the Great Barrier Reef after which your descent will take you back to the main land. The landing on the beach is also a unique aspect of this jump. Mission Beach is a nice place to stop on your way from Airley Beach to Cairns or the other way around. It is definitely worth your while to make a skydive here. Rafting is also a popular thing to do here.
