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 Day 01 Sydney to Central Coast
Drive northwards from Sydney for about an hour and 20 minutes and you will arrive at Central Coast (Terrigal and The Entrance).
Along the way, you can stop by the Australian Reptile Park (www.reptilepark.com.au) for a close encounter with the kangaroos, koalas, dingoes and more.
You can also visit Firescreek winery, which makes fruit and herb wines & St Fiacre's Distillery for liqueurs created from native Australian ingredients or pop by Yarramalong Macadamia Nut Farm to discover and indulge in home grown delights at the Macadamia Nut Farm Café. Don't forget to buy some fresh nuts home as gifts. (www.yarramalongvalley.com.au)
Watch daily pelican feeding at The Entrance, Memorial Park at 3.30 pm or have a try at horse-riding at Glenworth Valley Horse Riding, which is highly recommended for new riders.
Flower lovers can visit the Cedar Park Lavender (www.cedarparklavender.com.au) that is open to all visitors for a tour of the lavender field; lavender oil distillery and those who are keen may also purchase lavender based-products. Lavender fields bloom from December to February.
Continue northwards for another 125km, for about 2 hours until you arrive at Port Stephens.
Overnight: Port Stephens bay side accommodation
Day 02 PORT STEPHENS
Popularly known as the Blue Water Paradise or the Dolphin Capital of Australia, Port Stephens is home to more than 160 bottle-nose dolphins.
Go on dolphin watch cruises (www.moonshadow.com.au) to get closer to the cute mammals or whale watching from May to August or September to November. The 4WD Sand Dune tours (www.portstephens4wd.com.au) are very popular as well as it takes you on a thrilling ride across the 32km long Stockton beach that rises up to 30m high and spans 2500 hectares – the largest sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere.
Shark and Ray lovers can visit the Australian Shark and Ray Centre, where visitors can get close to the animals and feed them as well. Fresh seafood is also amply available in this area.
If time allows, visit Hunter Valley, just an hour away from Port Stephens – a must-do for gourmands and lovers of the good life.
Choose from more than 120 cellar door outlets and a myriad of international brands and boutique producers. Even if you are not a wine connoisseur, there are plenty of other things to do, such as visiting the 25-hectare Hunter Valley Gardens (www.hvg.com.au) which has 12 different feature gardens. Two of the popular ones include the Rose Garden and Story Book Garden. You can also explore Hunter Valley Village and browse the quaint stores and fresh local produce.
Overnight: Port Stephens or Hunter Valley
 Day 03 PORT MACQUARIE TO COFFS HARBOUR
Continue up north from Port Stephens for another 251km towards Port Macquarie.
Along the way, visit the Koala Hospital where over 200 injured Koalas are housed each year and take a walk and talk tour at this very special facility. Port Macquarie is also renowned for the 8 beautiful beaches, which are lined by great shopping and dining options.
Just another hour’s drive will take you to Coffs Harbour. Visit the delightful Nambucca Heads that lies at the centre of the North Coast region, famous for its surf beaches, fresh oysters and seafood and the colourful Vee Wall where visitors can leave their mark. To the South of Nambucca is the beach haven of Scotts Head - a pristine coastal village with one of the best point breaks of all the surf beaches along the coast.
Drive inland and drop by ‘Pub With No Beer’, which boasts its own range of boutique beers before moving on to The Clog Barn (www.clogbarn.com.au) where the colour and charm of Holland come alive. The Clog Barn holds clog making demonstrations at 11am, 2pm and 4pm daily.
Inland from the southern Coffs coast lies some historic towns like Gladstones, Bellibrook, Bowraville, Dorrigo and Bellingen - stunning stopovers with their very own streetscape of colonial and art deco shops.
Children will particularly enjoy visiting Pet Porpoise Pool (www.petporpoise.com) and the iconic Big Banana (www.bigbanana.com), which celebrates 45-years of big-kitsch iconography. It has since been converted into a theme park with fun waterslides, ice-skating and other themed activities.
Overnight: Coffs Harbour
Day 04 Byron Bay to Tweeds Heads
DISTANCE: 243KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 3HR
Stop by at Byron Bay, at Australia's eastern-most point, world famous for its stunning long beaches, yoga and massage therapies, and hippie markets and street performers. Migrating whales and dolphins like this spot too. With a spectacular headland crowned with the beautiful Cape Byron Lighthouse, and beautiful beaches, this charismatic town is certainly a good stop for an overnight stay. Luxury boutique hotels, beach houses and spa retreats line the streets of Byron, a popular place with artists, actors and writers.
If you have time on your hands, you can also visit Crystal Castle, a wonderland of New Age experiences, including the Budhha walk, a rose quartz labyrinth plus crystals from all around the world.
Continue Northwards and arrive in the lush Tweeds Valley that is nestled in the caldera of the ancient Mount Warning shield volcano that has been extinct for 20 million years. Enjoy a crab catching cruise (www.catchacrab.com.au) at the picturesque Tweed River, or try your hand at yabbie pumping, fishing or feeding wild pelicans. Then take a short drive to Tropical Fruit World, Australia’s largest fruit plantation, where you can take a tractor ride through the orchards and taste all sorts of unusual tropical fruits, including the miracle fruit, chocolate pudding fruit and champagne fruit.
Overnight: Tweed Heads
Day 05 Tweed to Surfers Paradise
DISTANCE: 44KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 45MIN
Make your way to the Gold Coast, famed for its beautiful beaches, world-class theme parks and vibrant nightlife. Stop for lunch at Oskars on Burleigh, an award-winning restaurant known for its mouth-watering seafood and sensational views of the coastline.
Arrive at the bustling Surfers Paradise, where you can join a learn-to-surf class, or simply relax at one of the many alfresco beachside cafés. Take in stunning 360-degree views of the Gold Coast from Qdeck, Australia’s only beachside observation deck, located at the top of Q1 Resort, the world’s tallest residential tower.
Surfers Paradise offers late night shopping every day. You can also buy souvenirs, arts and crafts at its beachfront night market, held on Wednesdays and Fridays. If shopping is not your thing, check out the Australian Outback Spectacular, a unique dinner show with wild horses, daring stunts and stampeding cattle.
 Day 06 Gold Coast
Visit the Gold Coast's famous theme parks, which offer plenty of fun for both young and old, or enjoy a scenic cruise on an authentic tall ship. Then have tea at Palazzo Versace, the world's first Versace hotel.
In the evening, enjoy a spectacular live stage show at Conrad Jupiters, or take a guided night tour of Springbrook national park, where you'll discover Australia's largest colony of glow worms amid lush forest, creeks and waterfalls.
Day 07 Surfers Paradise to Brisbane
DISTANCE: 79KM, APPROX. TRAVEL TIME: 1HR
Drive to Brisbane, Queensland's vibrant capital, known for its laidback lifestyle, picturesque city skyline and lush parks. Enjoy shopping at Queen Street Mall, or explore the colourful weekend markets at South Bank, the arts and culture hub of Brisbane. Visit the Gallery of Modern Art, or take a dip in the large man-made lagoon, complete with a sandy beach. Go on a City Cat cruise, one of the best ways of exploring this lovely River city, and stop for a meal at one of the excellent restaurants at Eagle Street Pier.
For more information:
www.pacificcoast.com.au
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