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    Itinerary

    7 Days in South East Queensland: Brisbane, Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast

    This plan deliberately only changes accommodation three times in seven days — Brisbane, then the Gold Coast, then the Sunshine Coast — rather than bouncing between regions nightly. The Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast sit on opposite sides of Brisbane, so trying to do both without a base each just means driving in circles.

    Length
    7 days
    Total distance
    ~300 km
    Season
    Year-round. September–November and April–May are the most comfortable; December–February is hot, humid and the busiest with school holidays.
    Vehicle
    Any 2WD. Fully sealed motorway the whole way, though the M1 gets genuinely congested on Friday afternoons between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
    Suits
    Family, Couples, First-Time
    Route style
    Point-to-point
    7 Days in South East Queensland — Queensland

    Route map

    Approximate route: Brisbane → Gold Coast → Noosa. Shown for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.

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    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Route stops in order: 1. Brisbane, 2. Gold Coast, 3. Noosa.

    You can fly into either Brisbane or Gold Coast Airport (Coolangatta) and start there instead of Brisbane if the Gold Coast is the priority — Coolangatta is about 25 minutes from Surfers Paradise.

    Going Gold Coast to Sunshine Coast, take the M1 and Gateway Motorway bypass rather than driving back through central Brisbane — it adds a little distance but saves real time avoiding the CBD.

    Day by day

    7 Days in South East Queensland — stage plan
    DaysRouteDistanceDriveWhat you doSleep
    Day 1Arrive Brisbane——Settle in. South Bank Parklands has a free man-made beach lagoon right on the river — an easy way to acclimatise. Story Bridge and the riverside precinct in the evening.Brisbane
    Day 2Brisbanelocal—Mount Coot-tha lookout for the best free view of the city, or the Queensland Museum and GOMA gallery precinct at South Bank if the weather turns.Brisbane
    Day 3Brisbane → Gold Coast~85 km1h 15mSettle in early. Surfers Paradise beach in the afternoon, SkyPoint observation deck at Q1 for sunset if you want the view.Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise)
    Day 4Gold Coast — theme parkslocal—The Gold Coast's theme park cluster (Dreamworld, Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Wet'n'Wild) is the main drawcard for families — pick one or two rather than trying all four in a day.Gold Coast
    Day 5Gold Coastlocal—Burleigh Heads National Park headland walk (about 2.7 km return, easy) for a break from the theme parks, then back to the beach — or a second theme park if that's the priority.Gold Coast
    Day 6Gold Coast → Sunshine Coast (Noosa)~215 km2h 30mVia the M1 and Gateway Motorway bypass, skipping central Brisbane. Arrive with the afternoon free — Noosa Main Beach is sheltered and calm, unusual for an east-facing beach.Noosa
    Day 7Sunshine Coastlocal—Noosa National Park coastal walk (the Coastal Track section is about 4.6 km one way, flat, and koalas are occasionally spotted in the trees). Depart from Sunshine Coast Airport or drive back to Brisbane (~140 km, 1h 45m) to fly out.—

    Cost and booking notes

    • Gold Coast theme park tickets are expensive individually — multi-park passes covering two or more parks over a set number of days are usually cheaper if you're doing more than one.
    • Gold Coast accommodation peaks hard over Queensland and NSW school holidays and Schoolies week (November) — book well ahead or avoid those windows.
    • Coolangatta (Gold Coast Airport) is a genuine alternative to Brisbane if the Gold Coast is your main interest — it can save a full day of driving each way.

    Common questions

    Yes — Gold Coast Airport at Coolangatta has direct domestic and some international flights and sits about 25 minutes from Surfers Paradise, closer than Brisbane Airport is to the Gold Coast.

    Not within Brisbane or on the Gold Coast light rail corridor, but you'll want one (or reliable transfers) to move between Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, and for the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

    One day per park is realistic if you want to actually ride things rather than queue all day. Two to three days lets you cover the two or three most popular parks without exhausting everyone by day two.

    Useful services on this trip

    Related guides

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