Australia is home to same insane National Parks and they’ll all BEAUTIFUL and worth adding to that bucket list of yours. At RatPack, we’re all about giving out that free advice so that you can set off with all the tips and tricks you need to have the most wicked time!
We’ll be letting you in on…
- All our favourite National Parks on the East Coast
- Where to find Kangaroos on the beach
- The best spots for swims in natural pools
- AND of course, tips and tricks from the crew that have been there
We want to provide you with an easy to follow guide on the best parks to visit and what to get up to and see whilst you’re there.
If you are planning on travelling around the place in a camper van (which btw, we can save you 10% on if you were uhming and ahing about the idea), then you’ll have a lot more freedom when it comes to dedicating time in the day to travel to some of these locations.
Aussie has thoussannndssss of national parks, so we’ve hand picked a few of our faves. Let’s goooooooo…
Click images to see more.
Noosa National Park
This really is the walk that has it all – it’s sick! You’ve got hidden rock pools, koala spotting, beaches and insane viewpoints to look forward to. The top spots on this walk are:
- Fairy Pools
- Dolphin Point
- Hell’s Gate
- Boiling Pot
- Tea Tree Bay
I am certain that a load of you are gonna ask more about the infamous Fairy Pools. So… to get to them, you have to walk about half way (ish) along the national park walk. Just after Granite Bay, as you pass Picnic Cove you will see a park bench under a tree as the track turns right around a large bend. This is where you have to scramble down the rocks to the not so hidden pools.
Top Tip – Look up in the trees and you may be lucky enough to spot some koalas! The best place to spot them is just behind Tea Tree Bay.
Cape Hillsborough, Mackay
Kangaroos. On the Beach. At Sunrise. Need I say more? This place is the definition of paradise.
It is a lesser known spot along the East Coast, so don’t miss it!
The park is located 50km north of Mackay (which you can stop off at if you’re travelling with Greyhound).
Top Tip – Keep an eye out for Ulysses butterflies (look em up – they’re beaut).
Glass House Mountains
Just an hours drive North of Brisbane, this is the place to go if you’re a fan of epic scenery.
The national park is formed of 11 peaks – 2 of which are open to the public to hike.
Top Tip – If you’re hiring a camper…A little north from the park is the 34 mile Blackall Range Tourist Drive – one of the most scenic drives in Aussie.
Paperbark Forest, Agnes Water
Paperbark Forest is a cute little board walk and stepping stones that take you in to the heart of the forest and wetlands – hence the stepping stones (soggy feet are a big no).
The trail is approx 45 mins, so short but sweet and home to some beautiful butterflies.
Top Tip – There are picnic benches at the beginning and end of the trail, so bring some lunch, take a seat and soak in your surroundings.
Cape Byron National Park
The home of RatPack – Byron Bay…full of beaut spots. One of them being Cape Byron National Park, also known as ‘the light house walk’.
The highlight of this walk is that you can visit the easternmost point of mainland Australia. I am proud to say that one day in January 2017, I was the most easterly person in the country to be eating a Mars bar – I felt pretttyyy cool!
Also, make sure to look out to sea as there is a chance that you’ll spot the residential pod of dolphins or even some migrating whales (May to Nov).
Top Tip – Do the lighthouse walk at sunrise for some amazing views.
About the Author: Sammy
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Really helpful and overall great experience. Thanks George!!
George was super helpful, getting us organised for our trip to NZ and sorting us out a great deal for our home on wheels :) Very much appreciate the support given we left it a little late... Thank you!
Great service, Sam was so helpful and made planning a holiday a breeze!
Can't thank Ben @Ratpack Travel enough for the turnaround on my campervan booking - and on short notice too! Outstanding customer centricity and quality banter with the knowledge to match Should be a go to for anyone wishing to travel this way
Ben couldn’t have been more helpful in assisting with this booking. He was responsive and patient whilst we changed details and dates. I’d highly recommend rat pack and Ben. Thanks guys!
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Just rent a car through this company. James has been really helpful and patient ! I recommend a 100 %
Had trouble booking a campervan in nz and finding a good price, James made the process extremely easy and was willing to answer any questions we had in great detail would highly recommend James to anyone struggling to find a campervan in New Zealand. He even got us a discount!
Gregg did a great job of navigating through my questions in helping us secure the right vehicle for our trip to New Zeland! I don't have time to search and get quotes from 5 different companies all with different add ons and prices. Gregg with Ratpack did all the work and even negotiated a better price then going direct. Pretty much covered the additional cost of insurance! So dont waste your time searching the net for the right rental! Get time back to plan your adventure and let Ratpack get you there!
Sammy was super helpful in helping me find exactly what I was looking for! He checked in with me every so often and was patient with me while I organised dates. Also gave some great advice relating to my travels! Thankyou:))
My booking experience with James was exception. excellence in customer service second to none!
Chris is a star! Even with the time difference, RatPack manage to keep track of our demands through whatsapp, with days apart. We also have an incredible support to find us a solution with our dates that at first didn't match van availability, and score for us a great deal on top of that. Highly recommended!
Ryan got me a really good deal and was very helpful over the phone, would 100% recommend him and ratpack
James was super helpful! Thanks so much!
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