Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
Take to the road
Choose your bucket-list driving trip and go!
want to really see this great country? Road tripping is the way to go. From bucket-list coastal drives to a trip down history lane, there’s a drive to suit you for a holiday to remember. Pack your sense of adventure and go!
ROCKHAMPTON TO WINTON, QUEENSLAND
Want a trip that takes in plenty of history? Start in Rockhampton, then head to Capricorn Caves and explore, staying onsite in the caravan park or campground. Head to the central west via Longreach, and visit the Australian Stockman’s Hall of Fame or Qantas Founders Museum. Follow scenic back roads to Winton, home of the Waltzing Matilda Centre, the first museum dedicated to a song! And don’t miss the largest collection of Aussie fossils at the Age of Dinosaurs Museum. outbackqueensland.com.au; capricorncaves.com.au
GREAT EASTERN DRIVE, TAS
A drive up the east coast of Tasmania is a magnificent trip you can do in two days or 10. Begin in Hobart, then weave through scenic seaside villages and set up at holiday parks that look out to sea, such as Big4 Iluka On Freycinet, right on beautiful Coles Bay. From Orford, get a ferry to car-free Maria Island, a mountainous wildlife preserve with a ghost town from its penal colony days. Other highlights include the aweinspiring natural beauty of Wineglass Bay and Freycinet National Park. Get snap-happy at Binalong Bay, part of the Bay of Fires, widely regarded as the most beautiful spot in all of Tassie. discovertasmania.com.au/whatto-do/self-drive/eastcoast
CORAL COAST, WA
Looking for amazing wildlife, pristine beaches and natural wonders? Head to the Coral Coast. There’s a range of self-drive trips, including the Ultimate Bucket List Itinerary, which begins in Perth and takes in the Pinnacles Desert in Cervantes. Eat fresh seafood in Geraldton, then bask in the beauty of Kalbarri. Swim with dolphins, snorkel at Ningaloo Reef and watch a magical sunset at Monkey Mia. Be wowed at Francois Peron National Park, known for its red cliffs, white beaches and turquoise waters. The holiday parks along the way offer a range of accommodation, including family cabins and powered caravan sites. australiascoralcoast.com
AROUND THE BAY, VIC
The Bellarine and Mornington peninsulas boast beautiful coastlines. If you want a leisurely trip with many stops, this is the route. On the first leg, meander to Queenscliff, visiting gorgeous historic streetscapes, Geelong’s colourful waterfront and the cellar doors that dot the highway. Cross the bay on the car ferry and spend time in famous Mornington Peninsula towns Sorrento and Portsea where there’s an array of holiday parks. More cellar and farm doors are to be found on the way back to Melbourne, but make the time to climb up to Arthurs Seat for the incredible views and stroll the boardwalks of Cape Schanck that snake above the turbulent waters of Bass Strait. visitvictoria.com/things-to-do /Touring-routes/aroundthe-bay-touring-route
SOUTH OF SYDNEY, NSW
Leave the hustle of the big city behind and take in the verdant valleys where the Southern Highlands meet the Shoalhaven at Kangaroo Valley. From there head to the historic town of Berry (don’t miss the Donut Van), then drive south among rolling hills towards beautiful Jervis Bay, where white-sand Hyams Beach is a highlight. On the way back, journey up Grand Pacific Drive, cross the Sea Cliff Bridge and through the Royal National Park. visitnsw.com