Australia has so many sights and attractions that are beautiful to view from the open road.  Cruising down the road, taking in the majesty that Australia has to offer can be a real thrill and camping with the family can bring you even closer to nature. Here are our top five most spectacular road trips not to miss across the wonderful and diverse land of Australia.

1. South – Southern Flinders Ranges – The ranges are a short drive due north of Adelaide near Crystal Brook.  This range makrs the beginning of the Outback, and stretches from the Spencer Gulf towards the Great Plains.  Hiking is a great pastime here thanks to the excellent rails and the clear markings.  But this place is not reserved just for the adventures by foot.  Bike trails are also spread throughout the area, adding another entertaining way to enjoy the area.
2. North – Nature’s Way –Starting at Darwin in the Northern Territory is a road called nature’s Way.  The drive moves beside the wetlands of Mary River and ends at the National Park in Cacadu.  All along the way you will see signs of the Aborigine roots that are scattered throughout this untamed area.  Once you reach the park you can witness crocodiles from the saltwater basking in the sun and moving about their native area. Lots of waterfalls and lookouts along the East Alligator River add more scenic pleasures throughout the park.
3. Simpson Desert – A real outback adventure awaits you on your travels through Simpson Desert.  When you prepare to leave, pack lots of food and water and top off your fuel tank.  The views will include awe inspiring sand dunes and colorful vegetation as far as the eye can see.
4.  West – Coastal and Esperance Trail – People who long for the beauty of the ocean and sandy beaches will feel like they are in heaven on this trail.  The route can take two days to cover in its entirety, but it is worth it.  Travelers can see the beautiful Southern Ocean as well as take in the sights of a small group of islands and terrific beaches.
5.  Victoria – Great Ocean Road – This route has a little something for everybody.  Due to the breathtaking views, this road is compared to some of the most luxurious areas in the world. The trip begins at Anglesea and goes all the way to Warnambool, including a pass by the Twelve Apostles.  Travelers will be amazed at the hillsides covered in eucalyptus and have their breath taken by the high cliffs.

Kristy writes for DriveMyCarRentals.com.au which can make enjoying one of these incredible road trips both cheap and memorable offering long term car rentals with everything from Holden’s to BMWs for hire. DriveMyCarRentals.com.au is a new peer to peer car rental community which provides access to more makes and models than any car rental company in the world from economy to luxury, from sports cars to classic cars, even caravans and with savings of up to 60% on traditional rental costs.

To change route drag the lines – kilometres  and time taken will be immediately changed so you can find the best route to suit you.

Please ignore time taken as it is very misleading and not at all realistic on most trips except for very short trips. Please refer to Your Guide To Travelling Australia Ebook for suggestions of travelling times.

Driving Around Australia – Visiting Main Cities

Perth WA to Adelaide SA to Melbourne VIC to  Sydney NSW

Alice Springs NT to Sydney NSW

Darwin NT to Broome WA to Perth WA

Devonport, Launceston, Hobart, return to Devonport TAS

Darwin NT to Cairns QLD

Canberra ACT to Brisbane QLD

Melbourne VIC to Canberra ACT

Adelaide SA to Melbourne VIC

Melbourne YIC to Sydney NSW

Brisbane QLD to Sydney NSW

Darwin NT To Brisbane QLD

Port Augusta SA to Darwin NT (including Uluru)

Torquay VIC to Portsea VIC

Great Ocean Road VIC

Port Augusta SA to Warnambool VIC

Eucla WA  to Port Augusta SA

Cable Beach Broome WA

Cable Beach is the ultimate destination. Cable Beach boasts great views of the Australian sunset. Cable Beach is far enough away from most major Australian cities that it becomes difficult to distinguish whether you are in Australia or somewhere in the tropics.

Magnetic island

Drive around the island’s 23 beaches and bays or see crocs and koalas up close. Two thirds of Magnetic Island is National Park with secluded but easily accessible bays and golden beaches. The Island has nearly 25 kilometres of walking tracks meandering through the protected national parks which are home to stands of eucalypts, more than 2,500 free-roaming koalas and 166 different species of wildlife.

Surfer’s Paradise QLD
Surfer’s Paradise is a great beach to meet locals and travelers a like. It’s wide, beautiful, and the water’s nice and warm. The waves here are also great for surfing. Surfer’s is a definite party spot and for those looking to mix their beach activities with some social activities, Surfer’s Paradise is the place to do it. The only downside are the high rise buildings behind you, but what are you doing looking that way anyway?

Orpheus Island QLD

Enjoy complete relaxation on this luxury Great Barrier Reef Island. Orpheus Island is located just off the coast of Ingham in northern Queensland and is known for its beautiful fringing reef.

Bells Beach Victoria

Looking for a surfing beach? Bells Beach is definitely the Australian beach for you. Home of the longest running surf competition in the world, Bells Beach is world famous for one thing – surfing.

Kangaroo Island SA

Kangaroo Island remains one of the most unspoilt natural wonders of the world. You’ll find seals basking on quiet beaches, koalas, echidnas, kangaroos, goannas, wallabies, penguins and many varieties of birds.

Bondi Beach NSW

Bondi Beach is famous. theone  kilometre beach gets crowded, but this a must see stop for any trip to Sydney. Catch some sun with the locals and cool off with the surfers.

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Islands QLD

Whitehaven is in the Whitsunday islands, located on a deserted island and nearly four miles long. You won’t be disappointed.

Seal Rocks NSW

Seal Rocks is a small, sleepy beach town south of Forster Tuncurry and 310 kilometres from Sydney. It’s famous for its beaches which are big, beautiful and most importantly, untouched.

75 Mile Beach, Fraser Island QLD

75 Mile Beach runs along most of the east coast of Fraser Island. While it may not be the best place for swimming due to dangerous currents and plentiful Tiger sharks, it is extremely beautiful and has a number of excellent highlights such as Champagne Pools, Indian Head (from where you can often see the sharks in the surf), the Maheno Wreck and Eli Creek.

The above Top Ten Australian Beach Holiday Destinations are just a few of Australia’s beautiful beaches. Which ever beach you visit, please swim between the lifeguards safety flags when they are on dutyfor your families safety.

The Great OceanRoad travels through three regions.The  Shipwreck Coast, the Otways and the Surf Coast.

The Great Ocean Road is the world’s biggest war memorial, dedicated to all Victorian soldiers who died fighting in the First World War. About 3000 returned soldiers constructed it in 13 years, with workers living in camps set in the nearby bush. Building the Great Ocean Road

 Warnambool to Apollo Bay about 160 kilometres

Shipwreck Coast stretches from Port Fairy (west of Warnambool) to Cape Otway

Starting from Warnambool   

The Great Ocean Road starts several kilometres past Warnambool near Allansford.

Warnambool was once a flourishing fishing and whaling port and today, it is still a prime whale watching location.

From Warnambool you will drive towards the coast to Peterborough and then travel to Port Campbell, on the way you will see London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge at Port Campbell.

After Port Campbell you will see the famous Twelve Apostles which are situated in the Port Campbell National Park.

#The Great Ocean  Walk is about 104 kilometres and starts near the 12 Apostles and finishes at Apollo Bay

From Port Campbell you will travel along the coast to Princetown and then inland to Lavers Hill to Glenaire. Cape Otway is off the main road on the coast and well worth visiting, here you will see Cape Otway Lightstation which is the oldest, surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia.

After visiting Cape Otway you can get back onto the Great Ocean Road and drive to Apollo Bay.

Apollo Bay to Torquay – about 90 kilometres along to the end of the Great Ocean Road.

From Apollo Bay you can drive north to the Great Otway National Park including the Otway Fly Tree Top Walk near Beech Forest, the worlds tallest mountain ash tree and beautiful rainforests.

Continuing along the Great Ocean Road along the coast are several coastal towns like Skenes Creek, Wye River and Lorne.

The Surf Coast is from Lorne to Torquay where surfing is a must.

From Lorne which is a very popular beach town, you will then travel further along the Great Ocean Road to Airleys Inlet, Anglesea, Bells Beach, Jan Juc and Torquay, where the Great Ocean Road ends.

The Great Ocean Road Tour is not very long in kilometres when referring to length. So it could be driven in about 2 days, but to really enjoy everything along the way you could spend a week or two touring this stunning and interesting region of Victoria.

View Great Ocean Road map