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Have you ever wanted to see more of our diverse and stunning country?
Sure, there are the fan favourites of the Sunshine Coast beaches, Sydney’s Harbour, or Melbourne’s thriving art and coffee culture. While these spots are always a fun destination, there is so much more of Australia just waiting for you to discover.
So, if you’re a traveller wanting to explore the true blue beauty of the Australian landscape, we have six iconic road trips for you!
The Nullarbor Plain
Stretching across two states, travelling across the Nullarbor is a drive for the truly adventurous. Nullarbor means ‘no trees’, but the plains are covered in native flora and fauna such as mulga scrub and even wildflowers after rain. On the drive, you’ll also encounter a range of wildlife, such as wild camels, kangaroos and emus. You can make pit stops at places such as Ceduna, Cactus Beach and Fowlers Bay.
The drive is long, averaging about six days, with very few cities or towns nearby. But this road trip is hard to beat if you’re up for a true Aussie adventure.
Spotify Playlist: Indie Rock Road Trip
Where to Eat: Nullarbor Roadhouse is a lively bar and restaurant with good food, friendly staff and a shop for road trip essentials. Try their famous "Nullar-Burger" – an open burger with 250g Angus beef rissole, egg, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato, beetroot and a special bush tomato chutney.
Great Beach Drive
The Great Beach Drive is described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The drive connects the Sunshine Coast and the Gympie region with UNESCO World Heritage K’gari (Fraser Island). The unique experience of driving on the beautiful beaches of Queensland the coast is one not to be missed.
To navigate the sandy routes, you should hire a 4WD or go on a trained, guided tag-along tour if you are inexperienced in driving on sand. Along the drive, you will witness the spectacular multi-coloured cliffs of Rainbow Beach, explore the heritage attractions and maybe even spot the migratory humpback whales at Hervey Bay.
A highlight of the trip is Lake McKenzie – a freshwater lake with crystal clear water and fine white sand – the perfect stop to take a dip or take in its magnificence.
You can expect the drive to be about four days and find accommodation along the route or simply camp under the stars.
Spotify Playlist: Mellow Drive
Where to Eat: Enzo’s on the Beach at Hervey Bay offers tropical vibes with its beach-bar style indoor/outdoor bar and restaurant, complete with bean bags on the sand and live music.
Their ‘cocktail sunset’ menu teems with local seafood and fresh Aussie flavours; try the Moreton Bay bug slider or the Australian scallops with miso butter and Riverheads finger lime. Still hungry? Their drunken fish salad with crispy battered flathead is calling your name.
Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive
Combining incredible local produce with picturesque coastal lines, this spectacular drive extends between Orford and St Helens on Tasmania's east coast. At around 176 kilometres, you can enjoy this trip over a weekend or a week.
From hinterland towns to seaside villages, the trip takes you past natural attractions, including untouched national parks and the translucent waters of Wineglass Bay.
Indulge in fresh seafood at one of the many pristine bays and beaches, explore stunning stretches of coastline and uncrowded, white-sand beaches and witness awe-inspiring landscapes throughout your journey.
Spotify Playlist: Tranquility
Where to Eat: The Bay Restaurant at Freycinet Lodge, overlooking Great Oyster Bay, has a contemporary seasonal menu showcasing local and regional produce, especially seafood. In keeping with the location, order their oyster-tasting plate, then sit back and enjoy the view.
Great Ocean Road
One of Australia’s most iconic drives, the Great Ocean Road in southwest Victoria, hugs the rugged coastline and overlooks the vast and majestic ocean. With remarkable spots such as the magnificent 12 Apostles on display, the drive is one for the books. Whether you begin at Torquay or Allansford, close to the historic fishing village of Port Fairy, the nine-and-a-half-hour trip makes for a breathtaking drive. Villages and towns, including Anglesea, Apollo Bay and Portland, provide stopovers worth staying for.
The road is bountiful with attractions from the idyllic rolling hills of local farmland to massive volcanic lakes. Your trip will take you past beautiful beaches and stunning coastal scenery, including the abundant hinterland of the Otway National Park, villages full of artisans and numerous waterfalls.
First built more than 100 years ago by 3,000 returned soldiers who worked on its construction, the Great Ocean Road is the largest War Memorial in the world.
Spotify Playlist: Coastal Drive
Where to Eat: If you’re staying overnight, the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse is a beer lovers’ haven with more than 100 craft beers to choose from, ocean views and a fire to warm yourself in the colder weather. Sample the range of craft beer with a tasting paddle alongside a classic chicken schnitty with chips and salad.
Alice Springs to Darwin
Another long and unique drive is the road trip from Alice Springs to Darwin, spanning over 1500 kilometres. The straight 1500-kilometre stretch following the Stuart Highway takes you past Yanga National Park, the Murrumbidgee River and the mighty Murray River.
Once you have reached Alice Springs, only 450 kilometres away is Uluru or Ayers Rock. The striking sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s "Red Centre", Uluru, is sacred to our nation's First Peoples. It is thought to have started forming around 550 million years ago.
Located within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Uluru is one of Australia's most recognisable and treasured landmarks.
Spotify Playlist: Blak Australia: 2022 Highlights
Where to Eat: With purely magic views of Uluru at sunset and the vast night sky above, the Sounds of Silence dining experience under thousands of twinkling stars will make the drive one you will never forget. Indigenous staff will tell you about the stars and the native ingredients of the three-course dinner while you admire the recently added Field of Light art installation.
The Big Lap
Circumnavigating the country at its edge, The Big Lap involves travel along mainly on Highway 1, which links almost every mainland state and territory capital. About 14,500 kilometres in total, this incredible drive is, for many adventurers, the Australian dream.
Considered the best way to see our vast and diverse country, The Big Lap takes you through Australia’s eight states and territories.
Clockwise or anti-clockwise, summer or winter, six months or a year? What will it cost? What should you pack? Books, films, social media groups and blogs dedicated to the ultimate Australian road trip attempt to answer these essential questions.
The varying climates of the journey – four seasons across most of the country and a wet and dry season in the tropical north – make planning essential. From the Top End in the Northern Territory, through The Kimberleys and vast Nullarbor in Western Australia, travelling to the vibrant and culture-rich southern and eastern states and up to the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef, The Big Lap has it all.
Stay at the myriad beach-side caravan parks and camping grounds affording some of the best views and locations Australia’s coastline has to offer. And it has so much to offer. Filled with more than 10,000 beaches, our coast is so expansive if you visit one Australian beach every day, you’ll need around 27 years to explore them all.
Spotify Playlist: Legendary Aussie Classics
Where to Eat: Supermarkets and chicken shops around The Big Lap conveniently feature one of the must-have meals for life on the road and Australia’s word of the year for 2022 – the bachelor's handbag – also known as a hot roast chook. Order a piping hot one with chips, coleslaw and a buttered bread roll on the side and dig in. A true Aussie road trip feast.
