Road Trip Guide Through Australia
There is hardly a better way to experience Australia than by road tripping. The vast and beautiful country will make you feel as if you have visited many different worlds, as the road takes you from turquoise waters of the bay and lush rainforests to outlandish rock formations and arid deserts where unbelievably starry nights remind native people from whence they came. Seeing them all is as easy as starting a camper van. A road trip through Australia is guaranteed to be an exciting and memorable experience of a lifetime. Mind blowing landscapes and nature reserves packed with wildlife will make you go on and on about your drive Down Under for years.
Picking a route
You will be best off if you consult both Google maps and old fashioned, fold out maps. You should definitely pack one fold out map as you will likely have quite a few times without any kind of mobile service. Also, everyone can share it and mark their ideas what to visit next. Take your time and research the interesting places to stop along the way. If you want a true experience of the land, stay away from the bigger towns. You’ll soon find that isolated corners of the country are far more interesting.
Popular tours
Bear in mind that Australia is huge. How far you can go will depend on the time you have.
- Among the popular routes, you will find a trip along the northeast coast, roughly between Sydney and Cairns. After 100 miles of stunning beaches of the Sunshine Coast, you will reach Hervey Bay, a hotspot for whale watching. The nearby Fraser Island with its 100 freshwater lakes and tea trees is a backpacker’s paradise.
- More adventurous travelers may follow a 2100-mile-long route from Sydney to Perth. Massive sand dunes of Port Stephens are like made for sandboarding. The Great Ocean Road will take you along some of the finest surfing beaches in Australia with many historic landmarks.
- If you have 21 days at your disposal, the West Coast adventure from Perth to Darwin might just be what you are looking for. Once you have enjoyed the sights and laid-back beach loving culture of this beautiful city, head north across the Pinnacles Desert towards Shark Bay that is brimming with marine wildlife. Karijini National Park that lies ahead is the place to experience real outback camping in the bush. The drive from Karijini to Nitmiluk is 1500 miles long and it is one of the most picturesque parts of the journey. It winds among lofty mountains, gorgeous East Coast beaches, scenic gorges and lovely villages. Cold beverages await you in Darwin.
The right vehicle
Road trips are immensely popular in Australia, so finding a caravan to hire is easy. Roadtripping in Australia is so well covered that you can even ask for a custom paint job for your vehicle before you set out. If you are sharing the road costs among your friends, instead of hiring, you can buy a cheap car. While this might turn as a less reliable option, it is often cheaper. One way or another, a vehicle becomes another member of the company. If you go for the purchase, you don’t have to answer to anybody for its condition. That independence, however, cuts both ways, and having a reliable mobile mechanic in your phone’s memory is advisable, just in case your car needs service.
If hiring a camper van and hitting the road has always been your dream, you definitely need to put Australia on the top of your list. Fill your petrol tank to the top and crank up that Men at Work hit from 1981.
Do share your experiences if you’ve done road tripping in Australia? If not, do tell us about your last road trip adventure in the comments below?
About the Author
Peter Minkoff is a beauty & fashion editor for Shlur magazine from the UK living in London and occasionally in Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from Australian Institute of Creative Design, he worked as a stylist for few fashion events around the UK. Besides beauty and fashion, he loves reading, making DIY cosmetics and traveling around tropical destinations. He plans to create a business for beauty & style advising.
Chei Pangan
June 9, 2017Never been in Australia. But how i wish i could visit here someday. It will be the perfect country to visit with your loved ones.
View CommentPrettyMummaSays
June 9, 2017I am planning to visit Australia this December. Your article will surely come handy.
View CommentCarol Cassara
June 9, 2017This is awesome! I would love to try this someday and just explore what Australia has to offer! I’m pretty sure it’s going to be an amazing experience.
View CommentAmanda Love
June 9, 2017I have never been to Australia before and it sure would be amazing to experience it! I’ve seen a lot of people doing road trips across the country!
View CommentPatricia @ Grab a Plate
June 8, 2017How amazing! I WISH I had 21 days to travel through Australia! Sounds great!
View Commentraisingyourpetsnaturally
June 8, 2017A camper van road trip would be so much fun! I would like to up it and do an rv trip. Bucket list.
View CommentAmber
June 8, 2017Fun! I need to get to Australia someday. Your photos make it look amazing. One day, I hope!
View CommentClaire (@clairebeary94)
June 8, 2017Always wanted to go to Australia. Kangaroos! haha. But I would really love to visit sometime.
View Commentljdove23
June 8, 2017I would LOVE to visit Australia! Its on our list of places we would love to visit, and a road trip sounds amazing! I would love to see Sydney, that’s top of my list!
View CommentThe Walking Map
June 8, 2017Ana, I would definitely prefer the Sydney to Perth route. Never been to Australia before.
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