Day trip from Sydney by air

[Howareu]

We have aus$400 Qantas credit and are looking to take a day trip from Sydney to, maybe, Port Macquarie/Coffs Harbour/Gold Coast - anywhere less than 2 hours away, with something fun to see/do for a few hours. Any ideas? Thanks for reading

Either Melbourne or Adelaide would be good for that. Lots to see and do.

Pre book a tour guide or onto a generic tourist group one for the lanes and main sights in Melbourne. Make sure it's a day when the food market is open too!

Adelaide is churches, galleries and restaurants. If that's not your bag, look into popping out into the wine valleys for a degustation lunch and vineyard tour.

Gold Coast for me would be a day or two at the theme parks if you can stay overnight.

Thanks for your quick reply, impossible girl. We are in Melbourne overnight at the end of our trip, so I’ll have a look at Adelaide :)

Lord Howe Island!

What about Hobart?

Thank you for those suggestions. The departure/return flights for both of those locations doesn’t allow us any time at either for a same day trip :(

That's a shame! In that case i'd suggest flying to Gold Coast Airport, with the many theme parks nearby. If theme parks aren't your cuppa then Fingal Head is fascinating, also Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is worth a visit plus Currumbin beach is stunning.

Thanks. I do think we will opt for there. The other main options are Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. Just looking for an airport that’s pretty near to an attraction/point of interest.

Not sure when you plan to go but humpback whales can be spotted all around those areas from May to November.

https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/wild-about-whales/top-whale-watching-spots#byron-and-tweed

Oh god, I know it's such a cliche but I love Byron...

We have now booked our flights and have chosen The Gold Coast. 3 reasons - there is so much to do there(going to be hard to choose!), the flights available give us the most time there & the additional balance due was the least.
tha is for all the suggestions :)

*thanks