Road trips are very popular in Australia, which is no surprise due to the size of the country, stunning long stretches of desert, beautiful beaches, memorable mountains and the necessary travel between major cities. If you are organizing a road trip in Australia, this guide will assist with all you need to know when planning the ultimate Australian road trip.
Here are 5 Life Changing Road Trips in Australia to add to your road trip bucket list.
Great Ocean Road
No Australian road trip bucket list would be complete without The Great Ocean Road.
The Great Ocean Road in Victoria is one of the best scenic drives in Australia. The stretch of almost 250 kms of beach side road begins at Torquay (1.5 hours from Melbourne city) and runs all the way to Allansford (10 mins from Warrnambool).
This is a beautiful part of the world to visit, due to the wild, clean beaches and quiet surroundings. The Great Ocean Road is appealing, even in the colder months, as there are less tourists and more opportunities to experience great food and sights without the crowds.
In some areas of this winding beach road, you may not see a single person as you gaze along the long stretches of beach to the jagged cliffs and shrubby dunes. Other areas are popular, particularly over summer holidays, and at the closer end to Melbourne.
On some of the narrower parts of the road it’s important to keep an eye out for increased traffic or groups of bikes (motor or bicycle) at all hours around the windy stretches of the road.
This road trip begins at Torquay, and as you drive west, you pass Jan Juc and the famous Bells Beach, then on towards Anglesea. You’ll see groups of surfers beyond the huge cliffs, incredible waves and the occasional milk bar to stop for hot chips or drinks. The annual Rip Curl Pro surf competition is held at Easter time here each year- a World Tour surfing competition, due to the large surf swell and history here.
![](https://shetravelsaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Torquay-1024x576.jpg)
The road continues to wind through small holiday towns, including the laid back Fairhaven, Aireys Inlet and Moggs Creek, all with holiday houses dotted across the road for the best beach views. These towns have a cafe or two serving coffee, top quality food and essentials.
If you decide to to stay overnight at Aireys Inlet or simply be driving past, the Aireys Hotel serves a classic pub meal, with premium views of the deep blue green ocean.
As you drive further along the Great Ocean Road, it is better to take more time than only a day trip from Melbourne, due to the distance. The next main town is Lorne. Stunning waterfalls behind Lorne add to the popularity of this small surf town. There are many eateries and coffee spots to stop in at along the way, as well as overnight accommodation options.
Then comes Wye River and Kennett River, both lovely family style communities, with small, well maintained campgrounds, (book ahead for these camp grounds, as they are busy in holiday periods).
Next along the road is Apollo Bay, a larger coastal town with plenty of activities, with nearby waterfalls, calm beaches and your choice of dining including seafood, lunchtime cafes, and the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse.
An hour and a half further west are the Twelve Apostles, close to the seaside beach town of Port Campbell. These rocks stacked in the sea along the jagged coastline are a popular tourist attraction, and you’ll see tour buses from Melbourne pull up at any given time for a view of the iconic rocks. Port Campbell has good food and accommodation options, including the local pub, and airbnb rentals, with a short drive to some of the most stunning beaches and cliffs of the area.
This part of the Great Ocean Road ends at Lochard Gorge, a gorgeous beach with a gorge of natural rocks. The smooth clear water of this bay is an essential stop if you’re down this far along the Great Ocean Road.
Last but not least is the formally named London Bridge, currently called London Arch. The bridge part of the naturally eroded rock collapsed in 1990 and a great finish to the Great Ocean Road road trip.
Sapphire Coast
The Sapphire Coast was named due to the water, which is spectacular colour of blue green. If you’re driving to Melbourne from Sydney, this part of the coast is a 6 hour drive from either city, adding this to the list of top road trips in Australia, and one of the best road trips in NSW.
The Sapphire Coast consists of towns Bermagui, Tathra, Merimbula, Pambula and Eden. As well as pristine beaches, these towns along the southern NSW coast boast markets, a discovery centre, hiking trails, fishing, whale watching, nearby hills, lakes and national parks.
You can choose from oysters in Bermagui, cheese and dairy products in Bega, whale watching in Eden, mountain bike tracks in Tathra or scuba diving in Merimbula.
How to get to the Sapphire Coast: If travelling from Canberra, drive along the Monaro Highway to Cooma, the Snowy Mountains highway to the Sapphire Coast.
If you are travelling from Melbourne, drive along the Princes Highway all the way through Gippsland Victoria until you reach the New South Wales border, and you are at the beginning!
Sydney to Brisbane
Another popular Australian Road Trip, due to accessibility and popular beaches, is the Sydney to Queensland coastal drive, along the Pacific Coast.
If you are planning an East Coast of Australia Road Trip, note that the 900 km long Brisbane to Sydney drive, there is diversity in attractions on this road trip, from beach side towns, rivers, sub tropical hinterland, wineries and the hippie and surf town Bryon Bay.
There’s the Hunter Valley wine region, which boasts 150 wineries north of Sydney. Situated in hills of National Parks, with a vast history this area is a definite visit for wine lovers.
![Life Changing Road Trips in Australia! The Hunter Valley](http://notatourist.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/HV-1024x629.jpg)
Hunter Valley
Source: www.winecountry.com.au
Further up the coast towards Coffs Harbor, in the north coast of NSW, has beaches, an amusement park, wales, wildlife and coral reefs.
Continuing on further north is Byron Bay and the surrounding towns, beaches and hinterland of the northern rivers region, which are worth staying at least a few nights to experience the unique beaches and diversity.
Although Byron is a busy town, with everyone from backpackers, families, locals, hippies, surfers, I recommend staying little out of town at either Belongil, Suffolk Park or Broken Head depending if you’re a beach person or prefer the rainforest.
Byron has beautiful beaches, ideal surf spots,, dolfin spotting, paddock to plate restaurants, markets, breweries and hikes, and should be a definite stop while on your Sydney to Brisbane Road Trip, or as part of your entire East Coast of Australia road trip!
Cairns to Cape Tribulation
The road trip from Cairns, driving north to Cape Tribulation is only 2-3 hours and is one of the top rated road trips on the East Coast of Australia.
This road trip includes lush coastline, warm climate and proximity to the Great Barrier Reef, and this premium Australia road trip also has many places to stop for supplies, and campgrounds to set up for a night or more.
It’s best to research the peak periods, but this part of the world always appears relaxed and not too busy, with the general holidaymakers heading to Port Douglas or Palm Cove for a resort style unwinding holiday.
You could hire a portable motor home from Cairns and drive through the hills and country side, first stop Palm Cove. Like Port Douglas’ younger cousin, this spot is ideal for families and couples, laid back with plenty of restaurants, trips to the reef and a lovely beach to relax on.
*Insider Palm Cove tip: book your accommodation with a pool if possible, as an option when you’re travelling off peak season as it tends to get windy along the beach in the afternoon.
Depending on your preferences, Port Douglas is perfect for a lunch stop or a few nights stay on your road trip. Further north there is the stunning Mosman Gorge, as you make your way up towards the tropical Daintree rainforest and Cape Tribulation, where you can camp surrounded by rainforest in tropical conditions.
Tasmania Circle
Take 6 to 10 days for this Tasmania Circle road trip, or you could split it up in smaller sections. This spectacular southern state of Hobart in Australia, is easy to fly to (under an hour from Melbourne) or if you are keen to take your car from the mainland there is the Spirit of Tasmania overnight boat, leaving from Geelong.
Tasmania is for you if you prefer quieter rolling country side, national parks, rivers and unaffected beaches, and is a relaxed state with pretty sights for keen road trippers.
A camper van or motor home is ideal for getting around Tasmania, or alternatively if you have a car, there are plenty of accommodation options.
Highlights and things to do in Tasmania:
- Hobart. Salamanca markets are HUGE markets in Salamanca. Take your time if you’re a market person.
![Salamanca Markets](http://notatourist.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/MARKET.jpg)
Salamanca Markets
Source: weekendnotes.com
- Mt Wellington is ideal for a hike, which takes 45 mins to hike up to the top. Incredible views on a clear day!
- MONA Art Museum experience. This iconic modern art museum is a huge draw card of Hobart.
- Hike in Freycinet National Park, (3 hours up the East Coast) or Mount Field National Park (key waterfalls)
- Port Arthur (historic Prison)
- Bay of Fires
- Cradle Mountain National Park
- Bruny Island. This south coast island offers local produce and cheese, wine, with many hikes available.
Conclusion
If you are planning a road trip in Australia, ensure to research road, weather and safety conditions beforehand and take enough supplies in remote areas, including water, petrol, spare tires and clothing. For Visa inquiries check the Australian Government website.
As these remote destinations are often stumbled upon during an Australian road trip adventure, be sure to talk to fellow road trippers and communities, stay safe and you’ll have your best life changing road trip yet!
Gosh, Australia is such a bucket list place for me! I’ve always dreamed of visiting Tasmania – all the seasons I’ve seen of Masterchef Australia have convinced me that it definitely is the most gorgeous state! 😛