For anyone deciding to travel to Australia, I think it must be compulsory to be given one of those maps that shows Europe fitting inside the country with room to spare.  I think the size of Australia is one of the most shocking aspects to tourists that come here with only a few weeks to explore as they quickly realize that it’s not all fun and games when trying to see as many of those iconic sights scattered about.    It takes planning to make the most of your time down under, which is why size matters immensely in Australia.

The Dilemma:  Flying versus Driving

I met a traveler the other day that had literally 5.5 days to spare, and he for some reason thought he was about to do the driving trip from Sydney to Cairns in that amount of time.  After being smacked back into reality, he then decided to take a cheap flight to Brisbane and start from there.  It was a much more reasonable plan that would allow him to actually see some sights along the way.

In some cases, such as this, catching a flight within Australia is necessary, but the problem is that – in my mind – the journey is one of the best parts.  There’s nothing like driving to the Outback and seeing the towns get smaller and  more spread out, and what about the curvy and jungle-encased roads of tropical north Queensland?  It’s the scenery that you really get to see when driving in Australia.

 It’s not only the scenery you miss when flying over driving; it’s the little fun bits in between.  Take, for instance, Granite Gorge.  Granite Gorge is a nature park near Mareeba (about an hour’s drive from Cairns) that tempts tourists to visit with the promise of seeing and feeding rock wallabies.  Adorable? Yes, and definitely worth it in my opinion.  However, chances are you will not make it to fun little places like this from the main cities unless you are self-driving.

It’s About Being Realistic

As in the driving example above, it’s about being realistic about your options.  If you are dead-set on driving through Australia and are on limited time, you will definitely be better off trying to narrow your focus by choosing one region or one state.  By doing so, you’ll get to really know that area as opposed to grazing over the surface.

On the other hand, flying from major city to major city and hitting all the big named places can be just as amazing.  I guess it all comes down to your personal travel preferences.  Here are some ideas to keep in mind:

• Your trip length.
• Your willingness to drive in a foreign country.
• The likelihood you’ll return to Australia.
• Your budget.
• Your love, or hate, of flying.

 All of these points should be considered when planning a trip down under, but I often feel that distance from one location to the next isn’t stressed enough.  Let’s face it, Australia is pretty gigantic.  And, I think it’s safe to say that this is one place where size really does matter.

About:  Brooke Schoenman is the expert author for WhyGo Australia, an online travel guide with life. 

She currently resides in Sydney, Australia and tweets about her Aussie life daily.

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Katherine is famous for its beautiful Katherine Gorge and river in Nitimilik National Park. A cruise down Katherine is a must do, the enormous red walls tower above and you will learn the aboriginal history and geology of the area which is fascinating.

Next stop is Kununurra

Visit Hidden Valley National Park, view the spectacular rugged ranges and the abundance of birds and wildlife. Visit the Kellys Knob lookout and view the town from above and see the very green irrigated farming area of Kununurra.

Also visit Ivanhoe Crossing that was featured in the movie ’Australia’. From Kununurra you can take chartered flights over The Bungle Bungles, Lake Argyle and the Argyle Diamond Mine.

Lake Argyle is definitely worth a visit, either travel from Kununurra or stay near Lake Argyle, drive over the huge dam wall that divides Lake Argyle and the Ord River. The sunset cruise on Lake Argyle is highly recommended.

Wyndham is not far from Kununurra and also worth driving to, there is a lookout where you can see 5 rivers join and there is a ‘Big Crocodile’.

Next stop is Halls Creek, drive along the Great Northern Highway through Turkey Creek to Halls Creek. Purnululu National Park is just after Turkey Creek, access is only by 4WD vehicles, a spectacular sight if you have a 4WD otherwise take a 4WD tour or a flight over. From Halls Creek you can drive to Wolfe Creek Crater, made famous by one scary movie ‘Wolfe Creek’.

Halls Creek to Fitzroy Crossing 292 kms

From Fitzroy Crossing you can drive to Geikie Gorge and cruise the magnificent river with towering walls, abundant wildlife and learn of the rivers history. Also drive to Tunnel Creek and wade through knee deep water in darkness with a torch to show the way.

Fitzroy Crossing to Derby 265 kms

Derby has the oldest Boab prison tree which you can visit, go to the circular jetty and watch th3 10 metre tides rush in or out (normal tides are about 1-2 metres).

Derby to Broome 225 kms

Broome is famous for the beautiful Cable Beach and the camel train, the sunsets are great and many people gather to watch. Broome is very famous for pearls with pearl shops everywhere.

The Great Northern Highway is a great road trip travelling from Katherine to Broome and visiting many spectacular and special destinations well worth visiting if you get the opportunity. Click on map below to enlarge.