A man and woman looking out from a wooden balcony over the turquoise swirling sands of Hill Inlet.

Beaches & Islands

Intrepid Travel: Brisbane to Cairns Adventure

Brisbane

Cairns

8 days, 7 nights

Guided Small Group Tours

From: $3,811 pp

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Tour overview

Explore Australia’s sun-kissed East Coast from Queensland's capital, Brisbane (Meanjin), to the tropical hub of Cairns (Gimuy) on an oceanic trip that takes you from one beachside hotspot after another. Take an off-road adventure across the dunes of K'gari (formerly Fraser Island), explore the tropical waters of the Whitsundays, flop and drop on the palm-fringed sands of Mission Beach, soak up the energy and nightlife of Airlie Beach and explore colourful underwater worlds of the Great Barrier Reef in your free time. On this trip, you’ll get wet in the waterfalls, wild in the rainforests and sandy on the beaches – what could be better?

Is this trip right for you?

There are some long travelling days on this trip, but it’s all part of the adventure and a great way to get to know your fellow travellers.
This trip includes an overnight train, which is super comfortable and features RailBeds, charging stations and USB ports. The overnight train is in RailBed class and is not accompanied by a tour leader. Should the train not operate due to track works or other factors outside of our control, it will be replaced with alternative transport and an additional overnight stay.
Multiple activities on this trip are subject to weather and water conditions and on occasion, may be cancelled for safety or operational reasons. In the case of cancellation, we will endeavour to find a suitable replacement activity.
This trip is part of a combination tour, with other travellers joining from Sydney when you’re starting in Brisbane. It also forms part of a longer tour with extended exploration from Cairns.
Minimum age: 15 years old.

*This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. Please consult your Travel Specialist for details on itinerary variations outside these dates.*

Tour highlights & inclusion

8 days / 7 nights

2 breakfasts, 3 lunches

Brisbane

Cairns

Why Inside Australia Travel

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We make sure the itinerary works in real life, not just on a screen.
We’ll confirm availability and give you a clear breakdown before you commit.

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Price pp from

NZD $3,811

Trip itinerary

Drone shot of the blue man-made lagoon at South Bank Parklands surrounded by sand and city buildings.

Welcome to Brisbane! Or Meanjin in the language of the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Brisbane is now located. Your adventure starts with a welcome meeting at 10 am. After, you’ll drive straight to Noosa Heads, where you can grab some lunch, relax on the beach or go shopping in the boutique shops. If you’d like, maybe use your free time here to explore part of the Noosa Coastal Walk and look out for local flora and fauna. This afternoon, you’ll hit the road again for the coastal city of Hervey Bay, where you’ll spend the night.

Today's welcome meeting will take place at 10 am this morning at the starting point hotel. Please see details in the joining point section in the Essential Trip Information document. It’s very important that you’re on time, as the group will hit the road towards Noosa straight after. It’s highly recommended that you spend a night in Brisbane before your trip starts.  Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. In Noosa, you have time to complete a short walk along the coast if you wish. Choose from the Palm Grove Walk (Grade 3, 1.1 km return taking about 30 minutes), Noosa Hill Walk (Grade 4, 2.8 km return, taking about 1.5 hours), or the 300 m path to Boiling Point or Dolphin Point (1.2 km one way) - both sealed and barrier free.

Staying in:

Cabins (1 night)

Welcome to Brisbane! Or Meanjin in the language of the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Brisbane is now located. Your adventure starts with a welcome meeting at 10 am. After, you’ll drive straight to Noosa Heads, where you can grab some lunch, relax on the beach or go shopping in the boutique shops. If you’d like, maybe use your free time here to explore part of the Noosa Coastal Walk and look out for local flora and fauna. This afternoon, you’ll hit the road again for the coastal city of Hervey Bay, where you’ll spend the night.

Today's welcome meeting will take place at 10 am this morning at the starting point hotel. Please see details in the joining point section in the Essential Trip Information document. It’s very important that you’re on time, as the group will hit the road towards Noosa straight after. It’s highly recommended that you spend a night in Brisbane before your trip starts.  Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. In Noosa, you have time to complete a short walk along the coast if you wish. Choose from the Palm Grove Walk (Grade 3, 1.1 km return taking about 30 minutes), Noosa Hill Walk (Grade 4, 2.8 km return, taking about 1.5 hours), or the 300 m path to Boiling Point or Dolphin Point (1.2 km one way) - both sealed and barrier free.

Staying in:

Cabins (1 night)