Australia is built for road trips, but the distances are bigger than most maps suggest. These ten drives cover the coast, the outback and the tropics, with real distances from state tourism bodies, the days each one needs, the best season and whether you need a 4WD.
What are the best road trips in Australia?
The classics are the Great Ocean Road, the east coast from Sydney to Cairns, the Red Centre Way to Uluru, and the Gibb River Road through the Kimberley. The table compares all ten. Distances are about, as they depend on side trips, and the days are what we suggest for an unhurried trip.
| Road trip | Distance | Days | Best season | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Ocean Road (VIC) | about 243 km | 2 to 4 | All year | Sealed |
| Great Eastern Drive (TAS) | about 220 km | 3 to 5 | Spring to autumn | Sealed |
| Sydney to Brisbane (NSW) | about 1,000 km | 7 to 10 | Spring to autumn | Sealed |
| Brisbane to Cairns (QLD) | about 1,700 km | 10 to 14 | May to October | Sealed |
| Red Centre Way (NT) | about 1,130 km loop | 6 or more | April to September | Sealed option; Mereenie Loop 4WD |
| Nature's Way (NT) | about 820 km | 8 to 9 | May to October | Sealed |
| Gibb River Road (WA) | about 660 km | 10 to 14 | Dry season | 4WD, mostly unsealed |
| Perth to Exmouth (WA) | about 1,250 km | 10 to 14 | March to October | Sealed |
| The Nullarbor (WA/SA) | about 1,200 km | 4 to 6 | June to October for whales | Sealed |
| Adelaide to Darwin (SA/NT) | about 3,000 km | 14 or more | May to September | Sealed |
Which coastal road trips suit a first visit?
The Great Ocean Road and Tasmania's Great Eastern Drive are short, sealed and easy, so they suit visitors who have never driven on the left.
- Great Ocean Road: 243 km from Torquay to Allansford, near Warrnambool, an easy start from Melbourne. Allow two to four days for the surf towns, the Otway rainforest and the Twelve Apostles. Our Great Ocean Road guide has the stops in order and the new Twelve Apostles booking rules.
- Great Eastern Drive: about 220 km from Orford to St Helens, or about 3 hours of driving without stops. Add Maria Island, Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park and the orange-lichen rocks of the Bay of Fires, and three to five days fill quickly. Our Tasmania itinerary links it into a full loop.
- Sydney to Brisbane: Tourism Australia puts the Legendary Pacific Coast at about 1,000 km, with seven to ten days for the Hunter Valley, the dolphins of Port Stephens, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay's Cape Byron Walking Track and the Gold Coast. The direct Pacific Highway is shorter, about 920 km.
Is Brisbane to Cairns a good road trip?
Yes, if you have at least ten days. The Bruce Highway runs 1,671 km from Brisbane's northern edge to Cairns, all sealed, and most of the best stops are short detours off it.
Highlights include K'gari from Hervey Bay, the reef at Agnes Water and Town of 1770, and Airlie Beach for the Whitsunday Islands; see our Whitsundays guide for Whitehaven Beach. Drive in the dry winter months, from May to October. Marine stinger season on the tropical coast generally runs from November to May, and summer brings heavy rain and the risk of cyclones and flooded roads.
What is the best road trip in the Red Centre?
The Red Centre Way, a loop from Alice Springs through the West MacDonnell Ranges to Kings Canyon and Uluru. Tourism NT suggests at least six days. The legs add up to about 670 km to Uluru, plus about 470 km back to Alice Springs, so roughly 1,130 km in all.
- Highlights: Simpsons Gap and Ellery Creek Big Hole in Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park, the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, and sunrise at Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
- Road: a 2WD can take a fully sealed route. The scenic Mereenie Loop between the West Macs and Kings Canyon is unsealed and recommended for 4WDs only. It crosses Aboriginal land, so you need a permit, about A$5 per vehicle and valid for three days, sold in Alice Springs and at Kings Canyon Resort.
- Season: Tourism NT recommends April to September for Alice Springs. Winter nights can drop to 3°C, with frosts.
Our guide to Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the Red Centre explains the culture and the park pass you need.
Which Top End and Kimberley drives need a 4WD?
The Gibb River Road does; Nature's Way, the Top End loop from Darwin, does not. Both are dry-season trips.
- Nature's Way: Darwin to Kakadu, south to Katherine and back via Litchfield National Park. The listed legs add up to about 820 km, and Tourism NT's itinerary runs to nine days. Highlights are the rock art at Ubirr and Burrungkuy (Nourlangie), a Yellow Water cruise, Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and the falls at Leliyn (Edith Falls). The dry season runs from May to October. Our Kakadu guide covers the park pass and croc safety.
- Gibb River Road: about 660 km between Derby and the Kununurra end, part of a 1,134 km journey from Broome. Tourism WA calls it a moderate 4WD route and suggests 10 to 14 days for Windjana Gorge, Bell Gorge, Home Valley and El Questro. Go in the dry season, roughly April to October. After the wet, river crossings can stay too deep for anything but high-clearance 4WDs, so check Main Roads WA before you set off.
Is the drive from Perth to Exmouth worth it?
Yes. The 1,250 km Coral Coast Highway links two World Heritage areas, Shark Bay and Ningaloo, and Australia's Coral Coast suggests 10 to 14 days.
Stops include the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, the Kalbarri Skywalk and Nature's Window, the pink Hutt Lagoon, Monkey Mia's dolphins and Cape Range National Park's Turquoise Bay. The highway is sealed, though Francois Peron National Park and some coastal spots need a 4WD or a tour. Time it for what you want to see: whale sharks from March to August, humpbacks from July to October and wildflowers from July to September. Our Ningaloo snorkelling and diving guide covers the reef, and the Western Australia region page the rest of the state.
How long does it take to drive across Australia?
Allow at least a week for either of the two big crossings, and two weeks for the north-south route.
- The Nullarbor: the plain stretches about 1,200 km between Norseman in WA and Ceduna in SA on the sealed Eyre Highway. It includes the 90 Mile Straight, 146.6 km without a bend. Tourism Australia's crossing itinerary takes four to six days. From 1 June to 30 October, southern right whales calve below the cliffs at Head of Bight.
- Adelaide to Darwin: the Explorer's Way covers about 3,000 km, and the Stuart Highway is sealed all the way to Darwin. Detours to the Flinders Ranges, Coober Pedy's underground town, Uluru and Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) push Tourism NT's itinerary past 4,000 km over 14 days. Go in the cooler months; some outback businesses in SA close from mid-December to mid-February because of the heat.
Should you hire a car or a campervan?
Hire a car for short coastal trips with hotels, and a campervan for long routes where beds are far apart. A campervan saves on rooms and gives you flexibility, but it is slower, uses more fuel and is harder to park in cities.
- Read the road rules in the contract: many rental companies ban 2WD cars and campervans from unsealed roads, which rules out the Mereenie Loop and the Gibb River Road.
- Book the right 4WD: for the Gibb, hire a high-clearance 4WD from a company that allows that road, and ask about the excess for windscreens and tyres.
- Budget for one-way fees: dropping off in another city usually adds a one-way fee, and remote drop-offs such as Darwin or Broome tend to cost more. Some companies offer cheap relocation deals in the opposite direction to the main flow of travellers.
- Book campsites ahead in school holidays and in the dry season up north.
How do you stay safe on a long road trip?
Plan your fuel, water and rest stops before you leave, and avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night, when kangaroos and cattle are most active. Fill up whenever you can on outback routes, carry extra water, and if you break down, stay with your vehicle.
Take a break at least every two hours, and give road trains plenty of room when overtaking. Never drive into floodwater, and check state road reports before any unsealed road. In an emergency, call 000. Our guide to driving in Australia covers licences, road rules and outback safety in full.
Facts checked October 2026. Distances are approximate and depend on your route; road conditions, seasons and permit rules change, so confirm with the state road authority and park service before you travel.
- About the Great Ocean Road (Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism)
- East Coast Tasmania travel times (East Coast Tasmania Tourism)
- Drive the Legendary Pacific Coast Touring Route (Tourism Australia)
- Bruce Highway Upgrade Program (Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads)
- Beaches and foreshores: marine stinger season (Douglas Shire Council)
- Red Centre Way (Tourism NT)
- Mereenie Loop (Tourism Central Australia)
- Nature's Way (Tourism NT)
- Weather and seasons (Tourism NT)
- The Gibb River Road (Tourism Western Australia)
- The Coral Coast Highway (Australia's Coral Coast)
- Eyre Highway and the Nullarbor Plain (Australia's Golden Outback)
- Head of Bight Whale Watching Centre (South Australian Tourism Commission)
- Explorer's Way road trip (South Australian Tourism Commission)
