Sydney, Sunshine Coast & Great Barrier Reef

Enjoy complimentary airport lounge access before your overnight flight from the UK to Sydney.

On arrival in Sydney, a private transfer will be ready and waiting to take you to your stylish and contemporary hotel in the Central Business District, conveniently located for exploring the city’s most iconic sights. It offers a heated indoor swimming pool and a spa with a sauna, Jacuzzi and steam room – perfect for relaxing and recharging.

The following day, you’ll head out on a private half-day sightseeing tour, starting in the historic Rocks precinct, whose cobbled streets are home to some of the city’s oldest heritage buildings, providing a fascinating window into Sydney’s settlement by Europeans in the late 18th century. From here, you’ll continue to the Royal Botanic Garden and enjoy a walk along the harbourfront, with magnificent views across the water of the world-renowned Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House. Pause for lunch at one of Australia’s most prestigious yacht clubs before making your way through the city’s affluent suburbs en route to Bondi Beach – a pristine, crescent-shaped stretch of sand that draws surfers, sunbathers and joggers alike. Your tour concludes by winding back through Oxford Street and the suburb of Paddington, passing by an array of beautifully preserved Georgian and Victorian era houses.

On your third day in Sydney, you’ll depart the city for a full-day private guided tour of Blue Mountains National Park, first making a stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park en route to see the likes of kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and wombats. In the Blue Mountains, you’ll be treated to a delicious two-course lunch before taking in natural wonders including the spectacular Three Sisters rock formation, the Narrow Neck Plateau and Wentworth Falls. Throughout the tour, your expert guide will provide a fascinating insight into the geology of the Blue Mountains and how they were formed over millions of years. Later on, you’ll return to Sydney for the evening. 

In the morning, a private transfer will collect you from your hotel and take you to Sydney Airport, from which you’ll take an internal flight to either Brisbane or Sunshine Coast Airport. On arrival, pick up your hire car and drive up into the sub-tropical rainforests on the edge of Kondalilla National Park, where you’ll be spending the next couple of nights in a luxury villa at a secluded retreat, totally immersed in nature. It’s an idyllic environment where you can really disconnect, unwind and tune into your peaceful surroundings.

Enjoy the likes of rainforest hikes, yoga sessions, rockpool dips, meditation and massages. You might also be interested to check out the nearby village of Montville, where you’ll find galleries, boutique shops, markets, wineries and a microbrewery. The stunning beaches of the Sunshine Coast are also an easy 25-minute drive away.

Leave the rainforest behind today as you drive back to the coast, where you’ll park your car and take the ferry from River Heads across to K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) for two nights at a modern eco-resort on the island’s west coast. Located just off the coast of Queensland, around 160 miles north of Brisbane, K’gari is the world’s largest sand island and holds UNESCO World Heritage status in recognition of its unique combination of shifting dunes, coastal rainforest, freshwater lakes and marine wildlife, including humpback whales, which migrate past the island from July to October on their way north from Antarctica.

The following day, a full-day private 4WD tour offers the perfect introduction to the island’s wild and rugged nature, including morning or afternoon tea and lunch, as well as entry to Great Sandy National Park. Although swimming in the sea is considered unsafe in K’gari due to strong tidal currents, the resort you’ll be staying at has four lagoon-style pools, should you fancy taking a refreshing dip. 

Continue south along the Queensland coast to Noosa, one of Australia’s most alluring beach towns, known for its abundant marine life (including whales, dolphins and turtles), vibrant surfing community and fabulous hiking trails in Noosa National Park. Pamper yourself at the hotel's spa, cool off in the free-form outdoor pool, explore the lush forest surroundings or venture down to Hastings Street to discover its plethora of trendy cafes, bars and boutiques.

The next day, you’ll embark on a full-day guided tour of the Noosa Everglades, one of only two Everglades systems in the world (the other being in Florida), found in the ​​Cooloola region of the Great Sandy National Park. This intricate network of sub-tropical waterways and wetlands is a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, containing around 40 percent of Australia’s bird species alongside a vast array of other mammals, reptiles and amphibians. You’ll have the choice between exploring this spectacular ecosystem on a specially designed eco-boat or by canoe. 

If you would prefer to spend longer in Noosa, there's also the option to extend your stay here as an alternative to staying on K'gari (formerly Fraser Island) itself, instead visiting K'gari on a spectacular private helicopter tour and exploring the island by 4WD in the company of an expert guide. This allows you to make the most of Noosa's upscale accommodation while not missing out on the natural wonders of K'gari. 

The next leg of your trip brings you back down south to Brisbane, the laid-back capital of Queensland, nicknamed ‘Australia’s Sunshine Capital’ due to its year-round gorgeous weather. With its dynamic cultural scene, eclectic culinary landscape, abundance of green space and easy-going, welcoming atmosphere, it’s a delightful place to explore and experience a more cosmopolitan, urban side of Queensland. Your sleek, modern hotel is perfectly placed for making the most of your time in Brisbane, while offering an inviting outdoor pool and sun terrace where you can unwind when you’re not out and about. 

Stay: Amora Hotel Brisbane (Deluxe)

Drop your hire car off at Brisbane Airport as you catch a flight north to Hamilton Island, one of The Whitsundays – a collection of 74 tropical islands at the heart of the Great Barrier Reef. While the majority of these islands are uninhabited, Hamilton Island has a small cluster of hotels fringed by palm-speckled white sand beaches. It’s here, on this car-free slice of paradise, that you’ll be spending the final three nights of your Australian adventure. While sun-drenched relaxation forms much of the appeal, there are also opportunities to enjoy all kinds of watersports and go snorkeling or scuba diving in crystal clear water, allowing you to marvel at green turtles, manta rays and magnificent coral gardens up close.

For a truly unique and unforgettable experience, you could opt for a flightseeing tour by helicopter or plane, allowing you to witness the Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, from the ultimate aerial vantage point. 

Fly from Hamilton Island back to Brisbane, from which you’ll fly back to the UK overnight.