Route & Stays
Australia was one of the countries where the journey itself became just as memorable as the destinations.
Over five weeks, I explored the country in three very different ways: a campervan road trip along Australia’s southeast coast with my friend Doreen, a few beach days in Queensland, and finally a solo return to explore Tasmania.
Here’s the exact route through Australia.
Chapter 1 - Melbourne to Sydney by Campervan
Melbourne (3 nights, €150 per person)
Our Australian adventure began in Melbourne, where we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Melbourne before picking up our campervan.
It was the perfect place to recover from the flight, explore Melbourne, and prepare for the road trip ahead - plus, a pretty decent breakfast was included.
Apollo Campervan (10 nights, €1.080 per person)
Instead of booking hotels every night, we rented a campervan from Apollo. Having our little home on wheels gave us flexibility, even if we probably should have planned our campsites a bit better during peak summer season. Somehow, everything worked out.
Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park (3 nights)
This became our base for exploring the area around Melbourne before properly hitting the road.
What we did:
Great Ocean Road
Phillip Island
Wilsons Promontory National Park
The holiday park had excellent facilities, clean bathrooms, an easy check-in process, and a peaceful atmosphere. It was one of my favorite campsites of the trip.
BIG4 Traralgon (1 night)
A comfortable overnight stop with clean facilities, self-service laundry, and even a swimming pool.
Eagle Point Caravan Park (2 nights)
One of the simpler campsites we stayed at, basically just a patch of grass. Also, the bathrooms were a little more basic.
What we did:
Lakes Entrance Beach
Bullock Island
Shelly Beach
Croajingolong National Park
Mallacoota
It was also here that we first noticed the nearby bushfires.
The sky turned an eerie shade of orange, which was both fascinating and a little unsettling.
Eden (1 night)
Nestled among forest surroundings and just a short walk from the beach, this was one of the quieter stops along the drive.
Exactly the kind of place where you appreciate slowing down for an evening.
What we did:
Boydtown Beach
Merimbula
Wallaga Lake National Park
Narooma
Bateman’s Bay
Ingenia Holidays Ulladulla (1 night)
I’ll admit it…. part of the reason I wanted to stay here was simply because the name Ulladulla made me smile.
Thankfully, the campsite itself was lovely too.
What we did:
Royal National Park
Wattamolla Beach
Tallawong
Ingenia Avina (2 nights)
Our final stop before returning the van near Sydney.
The campsite had a great pool and was a relaxing place to end an unforgettable road trip.
What we did:
Blue Mountains National Park
Chapter 2 - Sydney & Queensland
After returning the campervan, we spent 4 nights at YHA Sydney Harbour (€300 per person). Having a proper bed after 10 nights in a campervan felt very luxurious.
From Sydney, we flew north to Queensland.
Sunshine Coast: 2 nights (€160 pp)
Gold Coast: 1 night (€55 pp)
Brisbane: 1 night (€48 pp)
For this part of the trip, we rented a regular car, making it easy to explore the coastline at our own pace before Doreen flew back home.
Chapter 3 - I wasn’t done with Australia yet
After spending 3 weeks in New Zealand, I returned to Australia for one final adventure. This time, I flew back to Melbourne before continuing to Tasmania, where I rented another car and explored the island’s spectacular east coast down to Hobart.
Melbourne - Quest Docklands (2 nights, €200)
Returning to Melbourne felt like coming back to an old friend.
I stayed at a modern apartment-style hotel with a fantastic location. Having my own washer & dryer after weeks of traveling was an unexpected luxury, and it was the perfect base before flying to Tasmania.
Would I stay again?
Absolutely.
St. Helens - Big4 Tassie Getaway Park (4 nights, €340)
This was probably my least favorite accommodation in Australia.
The cabin itself was simple and functional - it was essentially a repurposed shipping container - but the biggest downside was the lack of sound insulation. I could hear almost everything from the neighboring unit, which made it difficult to fully relax.
The shared bathroom and shower facilities also weren’t my favorite, and considering the price, I expected a little more.
What I loved
Good base for exploring St. Helens (walkable)
Things to consider
Very noisy
Basic facilities
Expensive for what you get
Would I stay again?
Probably not. At least not in those container cabins.
Woodbridge - Peppermint Ridge Retreat (2 nights, €290)
This was one of the most memorable accommodations of my entire trip. Hidden away in nature near Bruny Island, I had what essentially felt like an entire house to myself.
The hosts had stocked the kitchen with homemade bread, fresh fruit and vegetables, and I decided to purchase the provided pasta, pomodoro sauce and a bottle of red wine. After months of constantly eating out, cooking a simple dinner for myself felt incredible special.
In the evenings, I sat on the balcony watching wildlife as the sun went down. It was peaceful, quiet, and exactly the kind of place that makes you slow down without even trying.
Looking back, this is one if the accommodations I remember most fondly from my travels.
Would I stay again?
Without hesitation.
Hobart - YHA (4 nights, €167)
I finished my road trip in Hobart, staying in a 4 bed dorm at the YHA. The hostel was clean, centrally located, and a great base for exploring the city. Like many hostels, it could be a little noisy at times, but overall I enjoyed my stay.
Sydney - YHA (2 nights, €125)
Before leaving Australia, I returned to Sydney for two final nights. This needed up being my favorite hostel of the entire trip. The 4 bed dorms were spacious, everything was impeccable clean, and the atmosphere was relaxed. It was the perfect place to end my Australian adventure.
Final Thoughts
Australia taught me that sometimes the journey is the destination.
Some of my favorite memories weren’t famous landmarks, but simple moments: relaxing in the campervan at a beautiful spot, waking up near the ocean, or pulling over simply because the view looked too good to drive past. Others came from slowing down completely, cooking dinner in a little house surrounded by nature and watching wildlife from the balcony.
It gave me the perfect balance of adventure, freedom and moments to simply pause and appreciate nature.