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Traversing the 7.7 million square kilometre Aussie landscape by car or campervan is a right of passage for adventure travelers and with such diverse landscapes to explore, like the Outback, the Reef, World Heritage-Listed rainforests and waterfalls and dramatic coastlines, this is your opportunity to make memories that are certain to last long after the ignition has been turned off on the campervan or four-wheel-drive.
The Great Ocean Road, Victoria
Considered one of Australia’s most popular routes, the Great Ocean Road starts about 90 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD. Spanning 400kms it stretches from the town of Torquay to the South Australian border town of Nelson. Attracting as many as 2.8 million tourists a year, this drive is all about the dramatic south-west coastline. Late summer is the best time to travel this stretch, as it is still warm and the conditions are more settled. Peak tourist season is December through to February.
Distance: Anywhere between one and seven days, depending on how much stopping you plan on doing along the way.
What you’ll see: Whether you’re a beach bum or more of a village hopper, there’s plenty to see on this stretch of coastline. Stop and have a dip in the ocean at Bells Beach (famous for its world-renowned Easter Classic surfing competition), visit the charming old fishing village of Port Fairy, or get amongst the arts community in Lorne. The biggest drawcard though is the 12 Apostles – the cluster of limestone stacks in the ocean off Port Campbell National Park – you’ll need your camera for those. Make time to visit the fishermen’s co-op at Apollo Bay for some of the best fish and chips around before heading south. Cape Otway marks the spot where the Southern Ocean meets the Bass Strait. The Cape Otway Lightstation is a must-visit too, as it is Australia’s most important lighthouse and a picture-perfect landmark.
What to pack: A wind jacket is a staple on this trip, as is a good camera and your bathers. A picnic rug is a good idea too and a beach towel.
The Red Centre Way, Northern Territory
Climbing Uluru may no longer be doable, but that doesn’t mean that the iconic sandstone monolith is out of bounds altogether, in fact quite the opposite. It should be a pivotal part of your next Outback road trip. On this wide open stretch not only will you experience the ancient ochre hues the Red Centre is renowned for, but you’ll enjoy open skies blanketed with stars and iconic landmarks at every turn. Drone enthusiasts will have an incredible canvas for their road trip footage thanks to the red desert sands, gigantic gorges, and nature walks.
Distance: The 1,135-kilometre Red Centre Way loop starts and finishes in Alice Springs and is best undertaken over a six-day period.
What you’ll see: This incredible road trip takes you through the West MacDonnell Range National Park, which is home to plenty of water holes including Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge and the 223 kilometre Larapinta Trail if you want to ditch the car for a bit. You’ll head out to the 140 million-year-old Tnorala comet crater, which has some fascinating cultural history, then beyond that, you’ll be mesmerised by Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Watarrka National Park, which is home to Kings Canyon (pictured above) – the iconic three-hour rim walk is a must-do here and best tackled at sunrise before the heat of the day kicks in.
What to pack: Good walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellant and a drone if you own one, the landscape out here is brilliant.
The Coral Coast Highway, Western Australia
Gorges, whales sharks, and pink lakes are all on offer when you cruise this stretch of the Western Australian coastline that hugs the Indian Ocean. Winding its way north from Perth to Ningaloo Reef at Exmouth or in reverse from Exmouth back to Perth, this road trip promises so much and delivers at just about every turn. Given that WA covers almost the entire western third of Australia, the contrast in the landscape is just a part of the picturesque appeal of this adventure.
Distance: From start to finish the Coral Coast Highway stretches for 1,250kms.
What you’ll see: The first 400 or so kilometres takes you through the coastal townships of Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Green Head, Leeman, Dongara, Port Denison and Greenough. Of these, Cervantes is the gateway to the Pinnacles Desert – one of the country’s most unique landscapes, host to thousands of limestone spires that can be experienced by car or foot. Jurien Bay, on the other hand, is more aquatic and boasts some residents you should definitely meet and even frolic in the water with – a family of fun-loving sea lions. The Pink Lake at Hutt Lagoon, Port Gregory, is an Instagrammable stop and can be best seen from the air, while further on, Kalbarri National Park’s Nature’s Window is the icing on the cake when it comes to framing your trip pictorially. The final leg takes in Monkey Mia (renowned for its dolphin community) and Exmouth, which is the final stop and all about the whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef.
What to pack: Bathers are a must, as are good walking shoes, a good camera, a hat and sunscreen and plenty of adventurous spirit.
The Nullarbor, South Australia
Stretching from the southern extremity of Australia between the Western Australian goldfields and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, this is perhaps not your typical roadie but it does promise plenty of adventure and interesting sightings, including camels, caves and jagged peaks and is something of a summer tradition for many Australians. If you’re planning to off-road, and you probably should, you’ll need a four-wheel-drive for this road trip. The route from Ceduna in South Australia (the unofficial start and finish point) to Norseman in Western Australia, along the Eyre Highway, is bitumen. It’s advised not to drive at night due to the number of native wildlife on the move at dusk. The peak season for travel is during the Australian winter as temperatures are cooler.
What you’ll see: The longest, flattest stretch of road in Australia offers a lot of nothingness between towns that are 200km or so apart. You will come across roadhouses, caravan parks, beaches with not many people and more wildlife than you can poke a stick at – emus, wombats, dingoes, wedge-tailed eagles and kangaroos are active out here. Before setting off from Ceduna, tuck into a seafood lunch, the oysters are particularly good. Meanwhile, as you journey across the Nullarbor be sure to stop at the Balladonia roadhouse, which has a museum attached and boasts debris from NASA’s Skylab that landed nearby, historical documents from the Royal Flying Doctor Service, and seashells dating back millions of years. Do some Southern Right Whale watching from the lookout at the Head of the Bight Centre on the west coast (between Nullarbor and Border Town) between June and September and experience the world’s largest cave system at Koonalda and Murrawijinie Caves near the Nullarbor Roadhouse. If you’re a golf enthusiast, the 18-hole Nullarbor Links is spread over 1,300kms and is the longest course on the planet. The gold mining town of Kalgoorlie is a must-visit on this journey too and Lake Ballard is also worth a day trip.
Distance: The journey from Melbourne to Perth is about 3,500 kilometres; from Sydney to Perth around 4,000kms. Port Augusta and the Eyre Highway is the proper start point though, and it’s 300kms from Adelaide.
What to pack: Plenty of additional water, food and extra fuel. This part of Australia is no joke and you don’t want to get caught out. Some days you won’t see another vehicle.
As published in Eat.Live.Escape magazine.
For as long as I can remember I’ve been a writer, combining that with an inquisitive mind and a desire for adventure and cultural immersion, and well, that’s me.
