One of the things I love most about Australia is that it is tailor-made for road trips. Thanks to its long stretches of open road, incredible coastline, spectacular landscapes, and fascinating small towns, there is always something to see around the next corner.
A road trip also gives you the freedom to go where you want, when you want, and for however long you want. Plus, with over 14,000km of highway that connects the east, south, west, and north of the mainland, Australia is literally your oyster.
So, where can you head to in the Great Southern Land? Here are the 10 best road trip destinations you can visit.
Why Australia Is Made for Road Trips
Few countries in the world offer the same sense of space that Australia does. This is a country, after all, where coastal highways hug beaches for hundreds of kilometres. It is also where inland roads stretch across vast red dirt plains, and mountain routes wind through bosky forests and charming alpine towns.
The great thing about undertaking a road trip in Australia is that there is always something worth stopping for. This could be a beautiful vista, a site of historical importance, or a place of great cultural significance.
Additionally, most routes are well signposted, with plenty of toilets, rest stops, and petrol stations along the way. The long distances between destinations can also add to the sense of adventure.
What Makes an Enjoyable Australian Road Trip
The key to achieving an enjoyable Australian road trip is maintaining a good balance. Essentially, you need to ensure that the distance you want to travel matches the time you have available.
Road trips shouldn’t be a race to get from A to B. Instead, you should focus on taking in as much as comfortably can without feeling rushed. At the same time, you’ll also need to have a car that can handle the journey. For some destinations, you might need a Four Wheel Drive, especially if you plan to visit the Outback or go off-roading.
Some people choose to hire a car for their road trip, especially those who are visiting from overseas. Others prefer to upgrade their mode of transportation by purchasing a new vehicle on finance.
Thankfully, there are plenty of options available to help you do this, including from companies that offer people car loans with poor credit score.
10 Best Road Trip Destinations To Visit in Australia
Australia comprises a landmass of 7.688 million km² and is divided into six states and two major territories. This means there are thousands of road trip destinations you can visit. Depending on your starting point, here are 10 routes to consider.
1. Great Ocean Road, Victoria
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia’s most iconic road trip routes. Starting in Torquay and finishing in Allansford, this road takes you past a spectacular landscape of rugged cliffs, dramatic beaches, and the famous 12 Apostles rock formations.
If you were to drive the route nonstop, it would take about 9.5 hours. However, most people take the opportunity to visit small towns and snap photographs at various lookout points along the way.
2. Pacific Coast Drive
This 790 km route links Sydney to Brisbane and accommodates numerous surf beaches, national parks, and quaint seaside towns.
The great thing about doing this journey is that you can break it into easy sections. This makes it easier to choose how long you will stay in each spot. Popular destinations you can stop off at include Coff’s Harbour, Yamba, Byron Bay, and the Gold Coast.
You could easily spend a week doing this trip.
3. Bruce Highway
The Bruce Highway is Queensland’s major coastal highway, and it will take you all the way from Brisbane to Cairns on one straight road.
This epic road trip incorporates much of the eastern seaboard and features a plethora of highlights. This includes:
- Hundreds of beaches and seaside towns
- Whale watching in Hervey Bay
- Seeing kangaroos and wallabies on the beach at Cape Hillsborough
- Visiting several offshore islands, including Lady Musgrove, Fitzroy, Great Keppel, and the world-famous K’gari
- Exploring the Great Barrier Reef
- Overnight stops in cities like Gladstone, Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Mackay and Townsville
4. Red Centre Way
For travellers who are drawn to the heart of the country, the Red Centre Way offers a powerful outback road trip experience in the Northern Territory.
There is a reason why it’s called that. Endless miles of red-dirt roads lead you through vast desert landscapes that showcase a fascinating collection of culturally significant sites.
If you intend to tackle this route, you will need to be prepared. This should involve getting your vehicle checked over by a mechanic before you set off, and taking lots of water, provisions, and spare fuel with you. It is also important to regularly monitor road conditions whilst you drive. That is because in the rainy season, you could find yourself cut off.
5. The Great Alpine Road
The Great Alpine Road showcases a different side of Victoria. It runs for about 340 kilometres from Wangaratta in the northeast of the state to Bairnsdale in the southeast. Along the way, you’ll drive through scenic mountains, valleys, and forests that connect the High Country to the Gippsland Lakes region.
Some of the best places to stop along the way include Bright, Harrietville, Dinner Plain, Mount Hotham, and Omeo. The latter is known for its gold mining history and is a good base for exploring the Victorian Alps.
6. Tasmania’s East Coast Drive
At just 68,401 km², Tasmania is a relatively small landmass. But it’s East Coast Drive packs in plenty of stunning diversity into a relatively short distance.
On this journey, you’ll see a rolling carousel of beaches, national parks, and coastal towns that are all worthy of your attention. Thankfully, the driving times are quite manageable, and you might be treated to some notable wildlife encounters, including wombats, Tasmanian Devils, wallabies, quolls, pademelons, and kangaroos.
7. Coral Coast Drive
Over in Western Australia, the Coral Coast Drive delivers a spectacular mix of wide-open spaces and coastal beauty. This route takes you from Cervantes (near Perth) to Exmouth and incorporates two of the state’s three UNESCO World Heritage sites: Shark Bay and Ningaloo Reef.
It follows the coastline and offers tremendous views of stunning beaches, shimmering turquoise waters, and other unique landscapes. The Pinnacles Desert and Kalbarri National Park are two must-visit destinations on this route.
8. Savannah Way
The Savannah Way is a major highway that allows you to go from Cairns in Queensland across the northern top of Australia to Broome in Western Australia.
Overall, it spans some 3900 km and takes most people a week to complete. More if they decide to spend a few days in Darwin or the Kimberleys.
Once you get to Broome, make sure you check out Cable Beach. Riding camels at sunset is an iconic experience to do there.
9. Mulligan Highway
If you really fancy venturing to an area where few tourists or even Aussies visit, then hit the road along the Mulligan Highway. This takes you from Mareeba, about an hour south of Cairns, all the way up to Cooktown in the Cape York Peninsula.
You might be surprised to discover that the road is entirely sealed. While there aren’t that many places you can stop at, the scenery on this three-hour drive is wide-open, green, and dramatic.
Don’t be surprised if you are the only car on the road for much of the journey.
10. The Explorer’s Way
The Explorer’s Way covers the guts of Australia. Taking you from Adelaide in South Australia to Darwin in the Northern Territory, it covers a distance of some 3000 km.
The beauty of this route is that it showcases extremely diverse landscapes and climates. This includes everything from the southern wine regions to the tropical north.
Arguably, one of the most satisfying self-drive holidays Australia offers, you can see plenty of incredible destinations, including:
- Clare Valley
- Flinders Ranges
- Port Augusta
- Coober Pedy
- Alice Springs
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
- Kings Canyon
- Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu)
Again, if you want to undertake this trip, you will need to be fully prepared with lots of food, water, petrol, a couple of spare tyres and battery packs for your devices. It might also be worth investing in a satellite phone or Starlink internet, as regular phone and internet coverage could be patchy at best.
For more information about visiting Uluru, see uluru.gov.au.
Want a simple system for planning, drafting, and publishing travel content without getting overwhelmed? Start here.
