15 Incredible and Underrated Hikes on the East Coast of Australia

I spent nearly 5 months road tripping up the East Coast as part of my Lap of Australia. This is such a spectacular part of the country, with so many amazing hikes to do. From scrambling mountain summits to chasing waterfalls, there’s no shortage of hidden gems to discover here. If you’re traveling on the East Coast of Australia and looking for the best lesser-known hikes, this is the post for you! Here are the top underrated hikes on Australia’s East Coast.

Resolute Beach (Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park)

This hike is easily accessible from Sydney. But despite its proximity to the big city, there aren’t all that many people here! Park at West Head Lookout in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and head to Resolute Beach, then Great Mackerel Beach. The full loop was unfortunately closed when I went – so I didn’t get to see the Aboriginal rock art here. I just went from West Head to the far end of Great Mackerel and back. But Resolute Beach is beautiful, and a great hike on the start of my East Coast trip.

Distance: 5.5km

Time: 2 hours

Grade: 3

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Yacaaba Headland (Myall Lakes National Park)

This section of Myall Lakes sometimes gets skipped, compared to the popular areas around Tomaree Mountain in Port Stephens or Seal Rocks. Starting at Bennetts Beach, walk along the sand to the headland, where you’ll see the trail taking you up to the summit. The views are incredible here – you might just have it all to yourself!

Distance: 6.6km

Time: 2 hours

Grade: 4

Red Cedar Falls (Dorrigo National Park)

If you’re after a peaceful waterfall walk on the Waterfall Way, head to Red Cedar Falls. It’s about 10km on an unsealed road (suitable for 2WDs), but I didn’t see anyone else on the entire hike. Head into the woods and admire the huge pine trees – be sure to detour down the unrelenting switchbacks to see Red Cedar Falls itself! The hike loops along Rosewood Creek.

Distance: 9.2km

Time: 2.5-3 hours

Grade: 5

Look at Me Now Headland (Moonee Beach Nature Reserve)

This is a spectacular walk near Coff’s Harbour, right along the coast. While it’s a short walk in a loop around the headland, it’s such an underrated spot. I highly recommend doing this hike around sunset – the views are just amazing. I got lucky and spotted quite a few kangaroos when I was here. The roos, the beach, the water, and the sunset all in one frame made this one of my favorite photos I’ve taken in Australia.

Distance: 1.6km

Time: 15-20 minutes

Grade: 2

Toolona Creek Circuit (Lamington National Park)

If you’re up for a challenging day hike in Lamington National Park, head for the Toolona Creek Circuit. This walk follows the creek past several different waterfalls (my favorite was Chalahn Falls!), then joins up with the Border Track for stunning views. There are some easy creek crossings, but they could be more challenging after heavy rainfall. This is one of the best underrated East Coast hikes.

Distance: 19.5km

Time: 5.5.-6 hours

Grade: 4

Yul-yan-man Track (Glass House Mountains National Park)

This is a challenging hike in the Glass House Mountains National Park. You’ll need to be on top of your navigation game, as the route follows pink trail markers – some of these can be easy to miss. You can start the trail in one of two places: Tibrogargan or Beerburrum. I recommend starting at Beerburrum, as the first section will be a difficult part that requires scrambling over boulders. But once this is done and out of the way, the hiking is much easier, and you can enjoy traversing the landscape more. I wouldn’t say the views here are incredible – there are better hikes in the Glass House Mountains for that. The return is by the Soldiers Track.

Distance: 13.4km

Time: 3.5-5 hours

Grade: 5

Basin Lake (K’gari, Great Sandy National Park)

Basin Lake is one of the most underrated spots on beautiful K’gari (Fraser Island), so don’t miss it! This trail starts at Central Station, and goes through the rainforest before finishing at Basin Lake. The lake is a great spot to relax and swim – the return is back the same route. This is a place the tour groups rarely visit, so you won’t find crowds here. I only saw two other people when I went!

Distance: 6km

Time: 1.5 hours

Grade: 4

Mount Walsh Summit (Mount Walsh National Park)

This is a hike only for experienced bushwalkers, with a high level of fitness. It requires a lot of scrambling and rock climbing, and the trail is extremely steep in some sections. The trail markers are just ribbons (which can easily be missed), so you need strong navigation skills. That being said, it’s an excellent challenge if you have the skills – plus the views from the top are gorgeous! Go in the morning and avoid hiking to the summit in the heat of the day, you’ll thank me later.

Distance: 4km

Time: 2.5-3 hours

Grade: 5

Red Rock Walking Trail (Agnes Water & 1770)

Head away from the crowds in Agnes Water, and hike over to Red Rock Beach. Red Rock Walking Trail starts at the far end of Springs Beach, where there’s a signpost indicating the trail. Follow the coastline until you get to Red Rock Beach – you can stop for a swim here, or head back the way you came.

Distance: 6.4km

Time: 1.5-2 hours

Grade: 2/3

Gudda Gumoo (Rainbow Falls) (Blackdown Tableland National Park)

Blackdown Tableland is one of my favorite places in all of Australia. It was one of the best detours I made on my East Coast road trip, and a real highlight of my time up the coast. Hike out to Gudda Gumoo, or Rainbow Falls, where you can go for a dip in the (chilly) water. If you have more time, add on a trip to see the incredible rock pools at the top of the falls! The road is unsealed from Yaddamen Dhina lookout, although it gets pretty bad and bumpy after Munall Campground – I recommend having a 4WD to get here.

Distance: 5.5km

Time: 1.5 hours

Grade: 4

Mount Wyndham (Great Keppel Island)

Great Keppel Island is one of my favorite places on the planet – it truly is paradise on earth, and I feel so lucky that I got to spend five weeks living here! There are a lot of great bushwalks on the island, but one of the best is the hike up to the summit of Mount Wyndham. This is the highest point on the island, and the views are superb! The trails on Great Keppel Island aren’t very well-marked, but there’s a large sign marking the summit path after you leave 1st Lookout.

Distance: 7.5km

Time: 2.5-3 hours

Grade: 4

Cape Edgecumbe Coastal Loop (Bowen)

Bowen is such a hidden gem in the Whitsundays – I could have easily spent a few more days here! Start the hike at Horseshoe Bay, then head up to the Rotary Lookout for unbelievable views. Keep your eyes peeled for whales if you’re visiting during migration season! Head past Murrays Bay and the huge Mother Beddock before reaching Rose Bay. The rest of the loop takes you through bush land and back to the coast, before returning to Horseshoe Bay. Don’t miss this hike on your East Coast road trip!

Distance: 5km

Time: 1.5 hours

Grade: 3/4

Kennedy Walking Track (Mission Beach)

Escape the crowds and head for this spectacular walk along the coast of Mission Beach. Walk along Lugger Bay and soak up the views at Morgan’s Lookout and Turtle Bay, before reaching Kennedy Bay. Note that there’s a no-swimming sign here, due to crocs. Return the same way you came.

Distance: 9km

Time: 2-2.5 hours

Grade: 3

Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls (Wooroonooran National Park, Atherton Tablelands)

Head off the beaten path in the Atherton Tablelands, and visit Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls. These two pretty waterfalls are both accessed from the same starting point on the Palmerston Highway. I only saw one other person on the trail when I was here – I had both waterfalls to myself! While you can’t swim here (which is probably why they’re not as popular as other waterfalls in the Atherton Tablelands), they make a great quiet hike on the East Coast.

Distance: 2km

Time: 40 minutes

Grade: 3

Kahlpahlim Rock (Dindin/Davies Creek National Park, Atherton Tablelands)

If you want a real hiking challenge on the East Coast, head to Kahlpahlim Rock in the Atherton Tablelands. You can do this hike in a loop – I recommend hiking up the ridge trail, and down the rock trail. It’s a tough hike, starting with a steep climb up through the trees to reach the rock itself. You’ll need excellent navigation skills here, as there are trail markers but sometimes they’re easy to miss. Go down and around the rock, then choose either left (for a view of above the rock) or right, to the research station.

If you choose to go right, go past the research station and into the woods for five minutes. You’ll come out to a clearing with the best view in the Atherton Tablelands. Return back on the rock trail, and walk along the road back to your car. All in all, this is a tough 829 meters of elevation gain – but a superb challenge. I saw one couple throughout the entire hike; you’ll likely have the whole trail to yourself. It’s one of my favorite hikes on the whole East Coast.

Distance: 15km

Time: 5-6 hours

Grade: 5

The East Coast of Australia is a playground for outdoors lovers. For hikers, it’s nothing short of a paradise – with a diverse variety of landscapes and trails to experience. I did approximately 80 unique hikes on my East Coast journey between Sydney and Cooktown, and these are my pick of the most underrated. Skip the crowds and head for these hidden gems on the East Coast!

Have you done any hikes on the East Coast? Which ones were your favorites?

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