Highlights along the iconic Pacific Coast Touring Route

The legendary Pacific Coast Touring Route is a stunning 1000 km drive between Sydney and Brisbane. Expect memorable wildlife encounters, pristine beaches, ancient rainforests, lush waterfalls, and world-class wineries. Depending on how you’d like to spend your road trip — this route has something for everyone. Allow roughly nine days to do the full tour, or if you’re travelling for a shorter length of time, pick a smaller section of the route to explore. We could list multiple reasons as to why we think travelling in a campervan is the best way to see Australia but the main one is the freedom it provides. Travel at your own pace and always have everything you need with you at all times. Camplify provides thousands of different campervan/caravan options to suit your needs and they make it that easy to hit the road.

For this road trip, we opted for Rollie — a 2008 Toyota Hiace with an awesome interior fit-out. We loved how comfortable and spacious it was and we made great use of the slide-out table at the back.

You’ll find plenty of epic camping sites along the way and we highly recommend you check out a few of the Reflections Holiday Parks. They have 36 sites in NSW all located in such primo spots right next to the beach. They also provide great facilities and are very well maintained.

There are SO many things to see and do along this incredible stretch of road. To get you started here are just ten spots (in no particular order) that you need to check out when travelling along the Pacific Coast Touring Route:

1. Burgess Beach

A local secret! Located in the small coastal town of Forster, Burgess Beach is a small quiet spot best known for its incredible rocky outcrops, “fairy pools” and flat sand waves. The beach is off Burgess Road and a heads up, the path down to it is pretty darned steep. You could easily spend a day here relaxing, swimming, and exploring the different rock pools. There are also some cool small mini-caves amongst the rocks on the northern side of the beach worth checking out.

2. Booti Booti National Park

Booti Booti National Park sits on an 8km peninsula, scenically located between the coast and a tranquil lake, on the NSW mid-north coast. The park takes in scenic headlands, beautiful beaches, refreshing rainforests, and 11km of estuarine foreshore. The name comes from “butibuti,” the local Worimi Aboriginal word meaning “plenty of honey.” Make sure to park up at the ‘Sailing Club Picnic Area’. You’ll be stoked that you decided to travel in a camper when you rock up to this spot. You can pull up right next to the lake and with the iconic palms as a backdrop you’ll be living out your true van life dreams. You certainly won’t regret a sunset here!

3. Blueys Beach

Where the bush meets the beach on the mid-north coast, Blueys Beach is a famous Pacific Palms surfing beach. It boasts golden sand and great surf with stunning vast views across to Seal Rocks. Legend has it the beach gained its name from a misadventure by a local cow. Cows can still be spotted on the southern headland.

This is another spot you could easily spend a few days just relaxing, swimming with dolphins, diving, and fishing. The ideal destination for anyone that loves unspoiled stretches of sand.Blueys Beach village is also home to some great cafes and restaurants if you’re looking to dine in.

4. Dorrigo National Park

Dorrigo National Park, part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, offers stunning scenery that's been millions of years in the making. It’s only a one-hour drive from Coff’s Harbour, yet it feels worlds away. To get there you’ll pass through Waterfall Way — A lush 185km scenic drive passing rainforest, river valleys, and waterfalls.

Walking to the Crystal Shower falls is a must! It’s a short but stunning waterfall walk. Once you reach the falls, a suspension bridge carries you across the valley in front of the falls for awesome views of the waterfall dropping into the pool below. A short side track leads behind the waterfall into a rocky cavern, where you can look through the veil of falling water. Be sure to also check out the Dangar Falls — a volcanic crater with a large swimming hole at the bottom. View the falls from the viewing platform at the top or walk just 500m down to the bottom.

Another one of the park’s highlights is the beautiful view at the end of the Skywalk, a boardwalk that extends over the leafy canopy of the forest. Enjoy views of the surrounding national park and Bellinger Valley stretching out to the coast.

5. The Promised Lands

As the name suggests, this is quite the magical place. The Promised Lands is a true hidden gem found along The Never Never Creek within the small inland town of Bellingen. This is a popular swimming spot during the summer months that offers crystal clear waters. Rope swings are scattered throughout the trees for the adventurers wanting a rush of adrenaline. They can be found all along the river in many of the swimming holes.

It’s an extremely peaceful part of the country and I have no doubt that you’ll leave feeling refreshed and revitalised.

6. Look At Me Now Headland Walk

An awesome walk to do when travelling along the NSW coastline is the stunning Look At Me Now Headland walk. Located in the Moonee Beach Nature Reserve on the North Coast, it is best accessed from the gorgeous little town of Emerald Beach. It’s a super chill 45-minute return stroll and provides incredible ocean views.

Look At Me Now Headland is an awesome place for whale watching in winter and bird watching in spring. Eastern Grey kangaroos are abundant along the track but don’t get too close as they are powerful creatures that might attack if they feel threatened.

Just down the road from this walk is the Moonee Beach Reflections Holiday Park. It’s right next to the beach and is a great place to base yourself while exploring the area.

7. Seal Rocks

Seal Rocks is a quintessential Barrington Coast isolated seaside village. It's an absolute must-visit. It's famous for its beautiful lighthouse overlooking stunning remote beaches with perfect blue water. Although it’s only a 40-minute drive from Forster, you definitely feel as if you’re fairly remote out there.

The walk to the lighthouse takes you through coastal forest up to the headland for views that you won’t forget.Seal Rocks lighthouse is an active lighthouse located on Sugarloaf Point and overlooks an unspoilt beach and the group of offshore rocky outcrops which give the area its name.

We highly recommend parking up for a night at the Seal Rocks Reflections Holiday Park. As you’re right on the ocean, the campsite provides unbeatable views.

8. Sawtell Memorial Rock Pool

Located near Coffs Harbour, this is a great spot for a salty swim in a naturally formed rock pool. Sawtell Memorial Rock Pool sits on a beautiful sandy beach tucked away at the end of the promontory. The pool was first unofficially used for the first time in the summer of 1962, however, it was in 1963 that the pool was officially dedicated as a war memorial pool. It sure is a beautiful place!

9.Nambucca Heads

Deriving its name from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘entrance to waters’, Nambucca Heads is a nice, chill seaside town at the mouth of the Nambucca River. There is plenty to do here but a must-visit spot is Shelly Beach — one of the locals’ favourite beaches. The beach has great surf, safe swimming, beautiful untouched sand dunes, and lots of spacious picnic areas and park up spots with elevated views over the beach. You could easily lose a few hours relaxing outside your camper at this place!

Two other spots to check out in Nambucca Heads are the colourful V-Wall and the Wellington Rocks. The V-Wall forms part of the Nambucca Foreshore Walk - walk beside the river and spot dolphins (if you are lucky) while taking in the fresh sea air. A feature of the wall is that all the rocks have been painted - in one way or another. At the end of the V-Wall is another little bay with rocky outcrops called Wellington Rocks — you can get some pretty epic photos from this spot.

10. Diamond Head Beach

At the northern tip of the Barrington Coast, you will find the beautiful Diamond Head Beach and its iconic rock formations.

Loads of Eastern Grey Kangaroos call this beach and the campsite home. There’s no doubt that you’ll get to witness them hopping across the white sand or catching some shade under the beach vegetation. It’s quintessential Australia at its best.

With so many options, you’re guaranteed to have an epic time exploring the legendary Pacific Coast Touring Route! Have the best time and be sure to leave all these stunning spots better than you found them.