Australia is home to some of the most beautiful pearly-white beaches and clear-blue waters you will ever see. But most tourists tend to sidestep the great Australian outdoors and focus solely on the large metropolitan hotspots, such as Melbourne and Sydney, and thus miss out on the wonders this country is famous for.
Instead of grabbing a plane to travel from point A to point B, a better idea might be to take a road trip and witness all the natural splendor Australia has to offer first-hand.
1. Adina Lodge, Bright
Hailed as one of the largely undiscovered jewels of the Australian mainland, Bright is located in the Alpine region of the state of Victoria. This sophisticated little town has its own brewery and a number of boutique wineries, cafés, and high-class restaurants.
It’s surrounded by gorgeous scenery and many parks, such as the Alpine National Park and the Mount Buffalo National Park. You can enjoy cycling, fishing, hiking, golfing, skiing and even ballooning across the Alpine National Park.
Seasonal changes are absolutely phenomenal and the color changes during the Bright Autumn Festival will surely take your breath away.
2. Cairns to Cape, Queensland
The tropical region of North Queensland in one of the most magnificent regions in Australia (and perhaps the whole world).
It is home to Australia’s two most iconic and breathtaking natural wonders, the Daintree Rainforest, where tropical trees grow right down to the sea edge, and the Great Barrier Reef, which is the largest system of coral reefs in the world comprised of more than 2,900 individual coral reefs. Just make sure to visit during the winter if you wish to avoid the humidity and the stinger season altogether.
3. Gibb River Road, Western Australia
The Gibb River Road is not for the faint of heart. It will most certainly require a vehicle capable of 4-wheel driving and will take you through one the last true wilderness frontiers in Australia, the Kimberley. The road itself is around 700 km long and can only be traveled after the wet season.
Emma Gorge is an ideal place for camping for the whole family, and you can also visit Zebedee Springs where you can enjoy swimming in the crystal clear waters beneath the waterfalls. Other notable highlights of the Gibb River Road include Adcock, Bell, Galvans and Windjana Gorge, as well as the King Leopold Ranges.
4. Great Ocean Road, Victoria
The Great Ocean Road is famous both in Australia and throughout the world as one of the best (if not the best) road trips on the entire planet. That said, most tourists simply take a single-day tourist bus ride to the 12 Apostles instead of slowing down and appreciating all the splendor the Great Ocean Road has to offer.
Granted, the massive, 45 meters high limestone structures that are the 12 Apostles look absolutely outstanding, especially during the sunrise, but there are other, equally amazing sights to behold along the way.
The Loch Ard Gorge has to be one of the single most stunning beaches in the world and the Port Campbell National Park offers numerous beach walks, gorges, cliff-top tracks and shipwreck stories to discover.
5. Mudgee, New South Wales
Food and wine lovers rejoice! Located around three and a half hours west of Sydney, Mudgee boasts a number of expert artisan food makers, more than 30 vineyards with cellar doors, cheese makers, olive groves, distilleries and a honey farm.
There are many things to enjoy here including the Wollemi National Park, which is a part of the World Heritage Organization, various heritage and wilderness tours, hot-air ballooning, skydiving, you name it. Try to visit it during the Mudgee Wine and Food Festival, a spring celebration lasting for an entire month.
6. Noosa, Queensland
Located a short drive away from Brisbane is the renowned Sunshine Coast vacation spot of Noosa. Its sunny weather and café-lined shores are the go-to place for many holiday-goers in Australia.
Its rising popularity has significantly increased the prices, and most lodgings don’t come cheap. However, you can find some excellent deals and avoid the heavy traffic during the early autumn when the waters are still warm and enjoyable.
7. Red Centre Way, Northern Territory
You can’t go through a list featuring the best Australian road trips without mentioning the Red Centre Way. This scenic route offers one-of-a-kind views of canyons, gorges, landscapes, camping spots and hiking trails.
Some of the most notable highlights include Uluru, an incredibly large sandstone formation and UNESCO World Heritage Site that is sacred to the native Aboriginal people, Glen Helen Gorge, the beautiful Kings Canyon, and Uluru’s close cousin, the Kata Tjuta.
8. Sydney to Brisbane road trip
Among the most popular road trips alongside the legendary Pacific Coast of Australia is the drive from Sydney to Brisbane. It’s a 900 km long drive that features a little bit of everything including rolling hills, stunning beaches and beachside towns, rivers and riverside towns, a number of vineries, wildlife watching opportunities and every single water sport that comes to your mind. You can enjoy sunbathing on the Coffs Coast, take a relaxing beachside walk in Byron Bay or discover the beauty that is Australia’s Gold Coast.
9. Palm Beach, Sydney
If you love taking long coastal walks and scenic picnics, then Palm Beach is the perfect place for you. It offers so many different things to do that you will hardly have a single moment of boredom.
You can dive, surf and swim through its amazing blue waters, explore the local coastal trails teeming with marine wildlife or play a relaxing game of golf. The southern section of the beach has a protected swimming environment and a 35-meter-deep ocean pool which is ideal for paddling near the shallow end. With so many different actives, it may be a good idea to consider investing in Palm Beach holiday rentals and take all the time you need to properly enjoy this delightful coastal jewel.
10. The Savannah Way, Queensland
The Savannah Way stretches across the top parts of Australia, from Cairns, Queensland to Broome, Western Australia. It is a whopping 3,700 km long stretch of road filled with emus, kangaroos, crocodiles, snakes and even poisonous plants.
Among the highlights is a beautiful region known as the Atherton Tablelands, and it encompasses both agricultural farmlands and ancient rainforests. It also has the world’s longest system of lava tubes called the Undara Lava Tubes and a number of stunning waterfalls such as Ellinjaa, Millaa Millaa, and Zillie Falls.
These are just some of the interesting road trip options you can choose from, but keep in mind that Australia has much, much more to offer. So pack your things and be ready to have the time of your life enjoying the beautiful country that is Australia.
All Images Collected from Flickr 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,7, 8, 9,10,11
About the author
Marie Nieves is a student and lifestyle blogger who loves unusual trips, gadgets and creative ideas. She is an avid lover of photography interested in interior and exterior design and a regular author for several blogs. For her articles, she often consults décor specialists and experienced blogger experts.