Australia needs to be explored, and the best way to see what this vast country of ours has to offer is on a classic road trip
Especially if you have kids like us, road trips make family travel more practical, cost effective and allow for so much flexibility.
As a traveling family we can’t rate them highly enough as a memorable travel experience, and like nothing more than throwing our bags in the back, putting some tunes on and hitting the open road. Instead of flying from point A to B and missing everything in between, the journey becomes just as memorable as the destination.
We’ve just finished 18 months driving around the country and this post breaks down our 14 best road trips in Australia. And even if you only have two weeks up your sleeve, each of these road trips can be driven in that amount of time – of course we recommend you take longer though!
14 Best Road Trips in Australia
1. Great Ocean Road, Victoria
If I had to give only one tip for the Great Ocean Road it would be don’t just rush to the 12 Apostles for your tourist snap. Slow down and appreciate all it has to offer. Certainly don’t do it in one day like the tourist buses do from Melbourne. It deserves at least a few days.
The Great Ocean Road is not only famous in Australia, but around the world as one of the best drives on the planet. Beginning one hour outside of Melbourne in Torquay, it stretches over 250 kilometres to Warrnambool and offers stunning coastal scenery, wildlife, waterfalls, hiking and beach side towns.
Highlights:
12 Apostles
Loch Ard Gorge
Port Campbell National Park
Apollo Bay
Lorne
Koalas at Kennett River
Read more:
16 highlights of the Great Ocean Road
5 towns to visit along the Great Ocean Road
2. Red Centre Way, Northern Territory
Instead of taking the Stuart Highway between Ulura and Alice Springs, take the scenic route along the Red Centre Way and discover brilliant landscapes, gorges, canyons, camping and hiking trails of the West MacDonnel Ranges.
And allow yourself plenty of time to take in the wonder of Uluru and nearby Kata Tjuta, it really is the heart of Australia and there is more than one way to experience it.
Highlights:
Uluru
Kata Tjuta
Kings Canyon
Glen Helen Gorge
Redbank Gorge
Ormiston Gorge
Standley Chasm
Read more:
9 ways to experience the magic of Uluru
Yes, you can do the Kings Canyon Rim Walk with kids
Surprised by the West MacDonnell Ranges
3. The Savannah Way, Queensland
The Savannah Way is the ultimate road trip across the top of Australia, stretching from Cairns in Queensland to Broome in Western Australia. That’s from East to West for those who don’t know, taking in a whopping 3,700 km.
So far we’ve only driven the Savannah Way from Cairns to the Northern Territory border, but it was a highlight of our time exploring the northern section of Outback Queensland.
Highlights:
Millaa Millaa Falls
Undara Lava Tubes
Cobbold Gorge
Boodjamulla National Park
Read more:
Exploring the Atherton Tablelands
Introducing the Undara Lava Tubes
Is Boodjamulla National Park Queensland’s best kept secret?
Ultimate guide to driving the Savannah Way
4. Cairns to Cape Tribulation
Tropical North Queensland has to be one of the most enchanting regions in Australia, if not the world, and takes in two of our countries most iconic natural wonders; the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
Best time to visit is during the winter months when it’s not so humid and you avoid stinger season, although it might feel like the whole south of the country has migrated north with you.
Highlights:
Great Barrier Reef
Port Douglas
Mossman Gorge
Daintree Discovery Centre
Cape Tribulation
Read more:
Tips for things to do in Cairns
How to visit the Great Barrier Reef
Road trip from Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation
5. Sydney to Brisbane
The popular east coast road trip from Sydney to Brisbane, known as the Legendary Pacific Coast, is one of Australia’s top road trips, certainly the most traveled.
Stretching 900kms along the Pacific Coast corridor it has something for everyone: stunning beaches, green rolling hills, beachside towns, riverside towns, wineries, the hinterland, wildlife watching, and every water sport imaginable.
Highlights:
The Hunter Valley
Port Macquarie
Coffs Coast
Byron Bay
Kingscliff
Gold Coast
Read more:
A guide to Hunter Valley wine tasting
Best things to do in Coffs Harbour
12 reasons Byron Bay is a great family destination
Kingscliff: a hidden gem of a town
28 things to do on the Gold Coast
6. Darwin > Kakadu > Katherine > Litchfield
If you’re exploring the Top End of Australia in the Northern Territory then a looped road trip from Darwin taking in Kakadu National Park, Katherine Gorge and Litchfield National Park is a must.
Starting and finishing with some of the best sunsets in Australia at Darwin, this drive then takes in the incredible wetlands and wildlife of Kakadu, the stunning gorge scenery at Katherine, and the waterfalls and swimming holes of Litchfield.
Highlights:
Mindil Beach markets & sunset (Darwin)
Yellow Water Billabong Cruise (Kakadu)
Gunlom Falls (Kakadu)
Ubirr Sunset (Kakadu)
Sunrise Cruise (Katherine Gorge)
Buley Rockholes (Litchfield)
Florence Falls (Litchfield)
Read more:
How to explore Kakadu National Park
5 highlights of Litchfield National Park
14 photos of Katherine Gorge
7. Gibb River Road, Western Australia
The Gibb River Road is Western Australia’s famous dirt track and takes you through the heart of The Kimberleys, one of Australia’s last wilderness frontiers. If you’re into your 4-wheel driving, this could be your ultimate adventure.
The entire Gibb runs for approximately 700 kilometres beginning near Derby and ending near Kununurra and takes in brilliant gorges, waterfalls, cattle stations and plains, rich aboriginal history, Boab trees, 4-wheel driving and great camping.
You can do the Gibb in either direction but Road conditions depend on time of year and completion of grading work. Travel is only recommended once the road has been graded after the wet season (around May) until the end of October
We didn’t have a hard core four-wheel drive so only did the northern section, going in to Emma’s Gorge and El Questro and back out. Highlights along the rest of the Gibb include; Windjana Gorge, Tunnel Creek, Bell Gorge, Adcock Gorge, Galvan’s Gorge, King Leopold Ranges
Our Highlights:
Emma’s Gorge
Zebedee Springs
El Questro
8. Broome to Perth, Western Australia
This 3,900 kilometre stretch of Western Australian coastline will expose you to some of the best landscapes and beaches in the country.
I recommend you take at least two weeks to drive this section of WA, heck we can easily spend two weeks just in Broome, our favourite town in Australia.
Don’t forget your snorkeling gear, your camping equipment and especially your camera. And I would also highly recommend a detour from Port Headland inland to Karijini National Park, one of the best National Parks in Australia.
Highlights:
Cable Beach, Broome
Turquoise Bay, Exmouth
Sandy Bay, Exmouth
Coral Bay
Kalbarri
The Pinnacles Desert, Nambung National Park
Rottnest Island, Perth
Read more:
Discovering the local gems in Broome
Falling in love with Coral Bay
3 natural wonders of Exmouth
The highs and lows of Kalbarri
32 photos of Rottnest Island
9. Broome to Cape Leveque, Western Australia
The three hour drive from Broome to Cape Leveque is mostly unsealed on red dirt, which can get quite corrugated, but a trip out to the Dampier Peninsula makes for a great destination for those who love the bush, camping, fishing and deserted beaches.
Highlights:
Cape Leveque
Cignet Bay Pearl Farm
10. The 75 Mile Highway, Fraser Island
Did you know that 75 Mile Beach on Fraser Island is classified as a part of the Bruce Highway? And that Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world?
If you want to go off-road and do some serious beach driving whilst exploring shipwrecks, pristine lakes, stunning forest and dodging wild dingos, head over to Fraser for some of the best 4-wheel driving in the country.
Highlights:
75 Mile Beach
Eli Creek
Maheno Shipwreck
Lake Mackenzie
Kingfisher Bay
The forest
wild dingos
Read more:
Exploring Fraser Island
11. Outback Queensland
Coming back to the Gold Coast through Outback Queensland via Mount Isa, Winton, Longreach, and Charleville was such a nice surprise and the perfect way for us to end our 18 month Aussie road trip.
We encountered some of the friendliest people along this stretch of road, not to mention the history and the landscapes on offer at the various towns.
Highlights:
Mining tour at Mt Isa
Kalyra and Steve
Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton
Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton
Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach
Camden Station, Longreach
Cosmos Centre, Charleville
Read more:
Going underground in Mount Isa
Why Winton is our favourite Outback town
Contemplating the Cosmos in Charleville
Go to Carnarvon Gorge You Said
12. Sydney to Jervis Bay, NSW
If you were to drive direct from Sydney to Jervis Bay it would take about 2.5 hours, but there’s a few spots well worth stopping for along the way.
As you leave Sydney and head south you’ll soon be driving through the Royal National Park, the second oldest National Park in the world behind only Yellowstone.
Then you start the Grand Pacific Drive which takes you along the coast towards Wollongong and over the famous Sea Cliff Bridge, before continuing on to our favourite south coast region, Jervis Bay.
Highlights:
Bald Head Lookout
Sea Cliff Bridge
Hyams Beach
Greenpatch Beach
Booderee National Park
Read More:
Things to do in Wollongong
8 things to do in Jervis Bay
Booderee National Park
13. Launceston to Hobart, Tasmania
Tasmania is one of Australia’s great driving destinations, and a scenic road trip from Launceston to Hobart via the east coast takes in some of Tasmania’s iconic destinations.
Starting from Launceston, head towards St Helens and spend some time at the incredible Bay of Fires and Binalong Bay before continuing south via Bicheno, Freycinet National Park, Port Arthur and then finishing in Hobart.
Highlights:
Bay of Fires
Binalong Bay
Bicheno
Wineglass Bay, Freycinet National Park
Hazards Beach, Freycinet National Park
Port Arthur
Salamanca, Hobart
Read more:
Introducing the Bay of Fires
All alone on famous Wineglass Bay
Port Arthur Historic Site
What to do in Hobart
14. The Nullarbor
Some call it the Nullar-Boring but we really enjoyed our three day drive across Australia’s longest road.
The actual Nullarbor is just one huge stretch of land in the middle of the Eyre Highway, with the entire Eyre Highway stretching for a total of 2700km and about 1200km lie between Ceduna in South Australia and Norseman in Western Australia.
We found the vast and treeless Nullarbor Plain to be mesmerising. There’s the impressive 146.6 km section of road that holds the world record for straight length of road.
You can connect to this journey from Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth and drive west to east or east to west along the highway.
Things to see & do include the Nullarbor Links golf course of 18 holes spanning 1365km with a hole at every town and roadhouse between Ceduna and Kalgoorlie, the Bunda Cliffs, whale watching at Head of Bight (June to October), Border Village, Eucla telegraph station, wild camels and emus.
We only travelled the section from Norseman in Western Australia to Streaky Bay in South Australia over three days and will have to drive the entire length next time.
Highlights:
The 146.6 km straight length of road
Remote roadhouses
Great Australian Bight Marine Park
What is your favourite road trip in Australia?
Share with us in the comments down below.
And if you need any more tips for travel in Australia, click here.
14 Best Road Trips in Australia
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