Australia is one of the biggest countries in the world, meaning there are so many things to see and do.
Being such a big country, one of the best ways to see the best of what Australia has to offer is to take a road trip.
Because road-tripping in Australia is so popular, there are plenty of motorhome rental companies, my favourite being Cruisin’ Motorhomes. I’ve taken plenty of road trips since moving to Australia four years ago, so I thought I’d round up the best road trips in Australia to inspire you to do the same!
Whether you are planning on doing the Big Lap or just a portion of the country, here are the best road trips in Australia you have to embark on.
The Big Lap
Distance: 15,000 kilometres
Time: Six months
As the name suggests, the Big Lap is road-tripping around the country.
The 15,000 kilometres road trip takes you along Highway One, which links seven of the capital cities, including Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart.
It takes around six months to complete the Big Lap, that is if you want to go slowly and enjoy all of the different spots you’ll see along the way.
The best place to start your Big Lap road trip is to pick up your motorhome hire in Brisbane in May and head north. Make your way along the coastline, over into the Northern Territory, down into Western Australia, across South Australia and Victoria, and over to Tasmania before making your way up through New South Wales back to Brisbane.
Why is the Big Lap one of the best road trips in Australia?
The Big Lap is one of the best road trips in Australia because you see such a diverse range of landscapes, including big cities to coastal towns, oceans, rainforests and even million-year-old gorges.
Some highlights you’ll see along the way include
● The Great Barrier Reef
● Daintree Rainforest
● Uluru
● Karijini National Park
● Ningaloo Reef
● Nullarbor Plain
● Great Ocean Road
The best time to embark on this road trip is April/May during the dry season in the north of Australia when the temperatures aren’t too hot, the humidity is low, and there is little to no rainfall.
The Great Ocean Road
Distance: 243 kilometres
Time: Five days
The Great Ocean Road is one of the best road trips in Australia, and I was lucky enough to take this road trip this year!
I picked up my campervan from Melbourne and headed down the coast to start the epic Great Ocean Road journey.
The road trip began in Torquay and ended in Allansford, and I saw some of the most beautiful scenery along the way.
Why is the Great Ocean Road one of the best road trips in Australia?
The 243-kilometre road trip took us along some of the country’s most beautiful coastline, national park, waterfalls, shipwrecks and the famous 12 Apostles (there are actually eight). It took us five days to do the road trip, and we stopped at campgrounds along the way.
Some of the highlights you’ll see along the way include
● Bells Beach
● Lorne & Teddy’s Lookout
● Otways National Park
● Hopetoun Falls
● London Bridge
● 12 Apostles
After we completed the Great Ocean Road journey, we headed back to Melbourne to drop off our camper.
Tasmania’s East Coast
Distance: 279 kilometres
Time: Five days
Driving along Tasmania’s East Coast is one of the best road trips in Australia because of the unique landscapes you see along the way.
Pick up your motorhome hire in Hobart and make your way north along the coast, where you’ll eventually end up at the Bay of Fires.
Why is Tasmania’s East Coast one of the best road trips in Australia?
Jaw-droppingly beautiful and quiet, Tasmania’s East Coast boasts spectacular produce, such as wine, cheese and seafood, as well as stunning beaches, hiking trails and unique wildlife.
Some of the highlights you’ll see along the way include
● Freycinet National Park
● Maria Island
● St Helen’s
● Bay of Fires
Once you have completed your road trip, head back down to drop off your motorhome hire in Hobart.
The Savannah Way
Distance: 3,700 kilometres
Time: 14 days
Pick up your motorhome hire in Cairns and embark on one of the best road trips in Australia, the Savannah Way.
This road trip takes you from Cairns through the Northern Territory to Broome in Western Australia.
We recently did this road trip in July, and it was one of the most unique road trips we’ve ever done! Unlike most other road trips in Australia, this trip took us through the Outback, past amazing landscapes and breathtaking sights.
Why is the Savannah Way one of the best road trips in Australia?
This is one of the best road trips to take because it’s very different from the common ones along the coast. Instead, this road trip takes you past 15 national parks and five World-Heritage areas.
Along the way, we were blown away by the different landscapes, from tropical rainforests to the red sand of the desert.
Some of the highlights you’ll see along the way include
● Boodjamulla National Park
● Atherton Tablelands
● Katherine Gorge
● Lake Argyle
● Cable Beach
Since there is no place to drop off your campervan in WA, the best thing to do is make this journey a road trip so you can drop off your motorhome hire in Cairns.
We absolutely loved this road trip as a round trip because we got to stop off at different places on the way back!
Australia’s Pacific Coast
Distance: 900 kilometres
Time: Five days
One of the best road trips in Australia takes you from Sydney to Brisbane along the coastline.
Pick up your campervan hire in Sydney and drive 900 kilometres along the coast through Port Stephens, Newcastle, Byron Bay and the Gold Coast before arriving in Brisbane.
We have done this road trip before, and it is definitely one to add to your bucket list.
Why is the Pacific Coast one of the best road trips in Australia?
This is one of the best road trips because it’s quintessentially Australian. Along the way, you can stop in and visit famous surfing beaches, seaside towns, national parks and gorgeous hinterlands.
Some of the highlights you’ll see along the way include
● Hunter Valley wineries
● Byron Bay beaches
● Springbrook National Park
● Newcastle
Once you reach the end of your road trip, you can drop off your motorhome hire in Brisbane!
Brisbane to Cairns
Distance: 1,700 kilometres
Time: Ten days
Finally, the last of the best road trips in Australia takes you from Brisbane to Cairns along the Queensland coast.
We completed this road trip last year during the dry season (June to August) as it was the perfect time of year to do it due to the temperatures being perfect and the low rainfall.
Why is Brisbane to Cairns one of the best road trips in Australia?
Driving from Brisbane to Cairns is one of the best road trips to do in Australia because it takes you past some of the most beautiful regions in Queensland.
Pick up your motorhome hire in Brisbane and make your way north past stunning beaches, waterfalls, national parks and cute seaside towns.
Some of the highlights we loved seeing along the way included
● The Glass House Mountains
● Fraser Island
● Whitsundays
● Magnetic Island
● Wallaman Falls
● Atherton Tablelands
If you love all things beaches, this is definitely one of the best road trips for you.
We took our time doing this road trip (ten days) as we wanted to stop off and see as much as we could. After driving for ten days, we dropped off our motorhome hire in Cairns and caught a plane back to Brisbane.
In Conclusion
There are so many fantastic road trips to take in Australia; it would be hard to list them all! But from what I’ve experienced, Australia really is the perfect country for road-tripping.
From lush rainforests to white sand beaches and the red sand of the Outback, there are different road trips for everyone to enjoy.
Which of these road trips in Australia will you tick off first?
