19 Epic Road Trips That Show You the Real Australia
From coast to coast, Australia is blessed with incredible landscapes that can easily be enjoyed by car – with plenty of charming towns to stop at for a delicious meal along the way. Take in the rust-red Bay of Fires on Tasmania’s east coast or sweep past shipwrecks and blowholes on New South Wales’s Grand Pacific Drive. Explore everything that regional Australia has to offer with our pick of the most amazing road trips in the country.
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Great Alpine Road, Victoria
1/20Drive 339 kilometres along Australia’s highest sealed road to take in deep-green mountain ranges, historic towns such as Beechworth and Bright, and, depending on the season, some of Australia’s best skiing at Mount Hotham. There are also wineries and glistening waterways on this route which goes from Wangaratta to Metung on the Gippsland Lakes.
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Kangaroo Island, SA
2/20The diversity of Kangaroo Island within a small area allows visitors to accomplish a range of activities in under four days. Begin in Penneshaw and check out the monthly market. Vivonne Bay in the morning, followed by a trip to Seal Bay to glimpse the sea lion colony.
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Great Ocean Road, Victoria
3/20Winding its way from Torquay to Warrnambool around the rugged southern coastline, the Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most stunning routes. It’s easy to see its appeal: the infamous swells at Bells Beach, gourmet food trails, waterfalls and the abundant native wildlife.
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Great Eastern Drive, Tasmania
4/20The east coast of Tassie takes in the dramatic Bay of Fires coastline, where yours will be the only footprints in the sand at a plethora of secluded beaches. Stop at St Helen’s wharf for the freshest fish and chips of your life, paired with a drop from one of the area’s cool-climate wineries. For a grand finale, swerve off the highway to Wineglass Bay and take a suite at luxurious Saffire Freycinet.
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Nullarbor Crossing, SA – WA
5/20Make an epic playlist and plan to be in the car for at least four days to drive the Eyre Highway from Port Augusta in South Australia to Norseman in Western Australia. You’ll experience the longest stretch of straight road anywhere in the world (1675 kilometres), three time zones, and a surprising number of fellow-travellers, wild camels and Indigenous-art-strewn caves.
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Grand Pacific Drive, NSW
6/20The start of the spectacular 140-kilometre, mostly coastal, drive between the Royal National Park and the Shoalhaven begins less than an hour south of Sydney. It’s an area rich in history and natural beauty, from the 1881 shipwreck on the Towradgi Beach walkway to Kiama’s famous blowhole.
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Gibb River Road, WA
7/20As one of Australia’s more challenging routes, the 660-kilometre Gibb River Road requires a little more planning. Branching north of Derby, near Broome, the road cuts through the Kimberley wilderness. Pack a few jerry cans of fuel and enjoy the real Aussie outback, where you may encounter rock wallabies and Mitchell’s water monitors.
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Red Centre Way, NT
8/20If you’re after an iconic red-dirt experience, the loop encompassing Uluru and Alice Springs is it. Experience Aboriginal culture and visit sacred sights such as Kings Canyon, the Ochre Pits and, of course, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Don’t miss the experience of floating up Redbank Gorge on an inflatable tube.
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Cairns to Cape Tribulation, Queensland
9/20This drive in tropical North Queensland is the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites – the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef – exist side by side. Along the way, stop at Port Douglas and enjoy an outer-reef snorkelling tour (look out for a gentle, giant Maori Wrasse).
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Cape to Cape, WA
10/20Australia’s South West region is home to spectacular beaches, boutique wineries and giant karri trees but a lesser-known attraction is the extensive cave system that stretches between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste. Visit Jewel Cave, Augusta, which features one of the longest stalactites of any tourist cave in the world.
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Bass Highway, Tasmania
11/20Covering the northern coast of Tasmania from Launceston to Stanley, the Bass Highway is one of Australia’s unsung road trips. Visit the natural blackwood forest sinkhole, west of Stanley, or search for platypus in Founders Lake at Eugenana. Make a stop at The Edge of the World, an eerie lookout with the world’s longest uninterrupted stretch of ocean.
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75-Mile Highway, Queensland
12/20Once you arrive at Fraser Island, there’s one more bit of driving you won’t want to miss. Drive the entire length of the island: it’s one long, smooth, sandy stretch with the odd bump for excitement. Take in shipwrecks, stop for a dip in the fizzy Champagne Pools and contemplate the serenity at stunning red-tinged Lake Boomanjin.
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The Big Lap
13/20If you’re going to do it, do it properly, right? The Big Lap is a loop around this entire nation, following Highway One for 14,935 kilometres through Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Perth, Esperance, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart. Phew! You’ll need time – several months at least – a sturdy vehicle and an adventurous spirit.
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Perth to Ningaloo, WA
14/20This whole drive – about 300 kilometres – is a highlights reel. Be prepared to stop frequently to take in the sights at Geraldton, Monkey Mia and Shark Bay, or just feel the sand between your toes and breathe in the fresh scent blowing in off the Indian Ocean.
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Grafton to Glen Innes, NSW
15/20Explore this little-travelled route that passes through the abandoned township of Dalmorton. Once a thriving goldmining hub with 13 pubs, the town’s brief time in the sun ended as the gold in the hills dwindled. The hand-hewn tunnel just past town is only wide enough for one car. Jump out to investigate the graffiti, some of which dates back to the 1800s.
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The Great Beach Drive, Queensland
16/20Your tyre marks may be the only sign of human intrusion on some of the vast stretches of white sand along the Great Beach Drive. Linking the Sunshine Coast with Fraser Island, the route, 380 kilometres, covers two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and a World Heritage Marine Park.
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The Heritage Highway, Tasmania
17/20The trip from Launceston to Hobart can be done in a few hours but we suggest taking the scenic route and spreading it out over a couple of days. Along the Heritage Highway, you’ll pass through historic villages and the famed Tassie countryside.
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The Pacific Coast, NSW – Queensland
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Adelaide to Cape Jervis, SA
19/20The drive from Adelaide to the ferry at Cape Jervis is a beautiful trip in itself. Take the scenic route through the rolling hills of the Fleurieu Peninsula before boarding the ferry for the 45-minute journey across the Backstairs Passage.
