Great Barrier Reef
Australia's east coast is a popular route with backpackers who typically travel overland in either direction between Melbourne and Cairns. It's the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. It’s easy to meet fellow travellers on this stretch as everyone is in holiday mode, taking time to hang out in hippie retreats, surf towns and national parks. A great way to meet people is to join a sailing trip to the pristine Whitsunday Islands off the Queensland coast.