5 Australian road trips you’ve never heard of

Jessica Humphries Jessica Humphries
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Beyond the caravan convoys lies a world of rustic road trip routes just waiting to be explored.

Head off the beaten path, and outside the typical tourist routes and you might just find something reminiscent of a long-forgotten authentic Australia.

 

Here, road trips you’ve never heard of but definitely need to explore.

1. New England Highway (NSW)

878km/approx. 10 hours drive

Why you should do it

The New England Highway is an alternative route to the Pacific Highway that links Sydney and Brisbane. Beginning in Hexham, Newcastle in the south, the highway ends in Yarraman, north of Toowoomba in Queensland.

 

The route stretches a little longer than its coastal cousin, but is worth it for the peace and quiet that takes you through quintessential Australian towns, reminding you of simpler times passed.

 

Swap your city-style latte for a meat pie at the servo and enjoy lazy landscapes intercepted by nostalgically charming architecture. Pack your winter woollies if you’re travelling in the cooler seasons and drink in the fresh, crisp air.

Must-see

Check out the beautiful cathedrals of the late 1800s in Armidale, indulge in the great grub (especially for meat eaters) and Celtic culture of Glen Innes, soak up the country music scene in Tamworth and explore the beautiful national parks surrounding Tenterfield.

Wind your way along the The New England Highway

2. Gold Coast to Seventeen Seventy (QLD)

568km/approx. 7 hours drive

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Why you should do it

Travelling along Queensland’s Pacific Coast Way isn’t exactly unheard of with tourists flocking to explore the enchanted forests of the far north. However, what most people don’t realise is that Seventeen Seventy is the perfect destination, and it’s hours before you hit the tropics. Slowly savour the scenery as you embrace your inner Queenslander – chill out, slow down and enjoy the ride.

Must-see

Slow city-lovers can stop off in Brisbane while coastal cruisers continue north to explore the Sunshine Coast (embrace the glitz and glamour of Noosa or stay slightly south if you’re into more chilled vibes), stop off in Bundaberg if you’re a fan of old Aussie towns and rum, and explore the secret beaches and magnificent nature at Seventeen Seventy – where you can easily while away a few days cracking coconuts and exploring untouched nature.

Seventeen Seventy is the perfect destination

3. Sydney to Adelaide (via Blue Mountains and Broken Hill) (NSW + SA)

1700km/approx. 19 hours drive

Why you should do it

Experience the raw and rugged beauty of this sunburnt country. Think outback, red landscapes, quirky country treasures, and wide open spaces that will undoubtedly invite a deeper connection to the earth and appreciation for Australian culture.

Must-see

Bush walk in the Blue Mountains, experience the old country charm of Bathurst, enjoy wine-tasting in sophisticated Orange, check out the famous Dubbo Zoo, discover The Dish in Parkes, enjoy spectacular sunsets and red earth in Broken Hill, soak up the water-soaked scenery at dawn or dusk at Menindee Lake (also a breeding ground for a variety of waterbirds, including herons, ibises, spoonbills and black swan), explore Aboriginal artefacts at Mungo National Park, indulge in the impressive culture of Mildura and the Murray River and enjoy wine tasting in the peaceful Barossa Valley near Adelaide.

A straight Broken Hill road

4. The Munja Track (WA)

220km/approx. 18 + hours drive

Why you should do it

Not for the faint hearted, this 4WD-only track allows respite from the crowds conga-lining through the Gibb River Road across the Kimberley, and access to some of Australia’s most rugged, remote land.

 

The three-day trip takes you from Mt Elizabeth station to Walcott Inlet on the coast, and is the only access point to Walcott Inlett – a pristine stretch of Kimberley coastline. For those with the resources and stamina, this track offers some of Australia’s most awe-inspiring scenery, epic swimming holes and incredible, ancient Aboriginal art.

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Must-see

You’ll pass through the Drysdale River, Bachsten Bush Camp and discover sacred Aboriginal rock art sites (keep your eyes peeled for the stack of rocks to the right of the track at Wren Gorge which indicates a track that leads to the gorge and some majestic art).

 

The magnificence of the natural delights cannot be over stated –it is truly worth the effort. Set up on the mud banks at Walcott Inlet to watch the impressive light show at sunrise and sunset (don’t forget your camera!).

Access some of Australia’s most rugged, remote land

5. Seafood Frontier (SA)

Approx. 11 hours drive

Why you should do it

While it’s not exactly unheard of (you may meet a few grey nomads along the way), with so many road trippers heading north or for the Great Ocean Road, South Australia’s Seafood Frontier remains one of the less appreciated coastal road trips.

 

Not for good reason though, as it boasts some seriously serene nature as well as, you guessed it, a sumptuous seafood safari. Taking in the best of the Eyre Peninsula, this track goes from Adelaide to Ceduna via Port Lincoln.

Must-see

Give yourself plenty of time (5 days minimum) to meet the giant cuttlefish in Whyalla (one of the world’s most incredible aquatic experiences, according to marine biologists), take a stroll along the picturesque beach at Port Neil, swim with the sea lions and take a seafood cooking class at Port Lincoln, discover the white sand beach at Fishery Bay, indulge in an oyster feast at Coffin Bay, explore the Great Ocean Drive, cliff sculptures and stunning sunsets at Elliston and enjoy some serious seafood indulgence at Streaky Bay.

the seafood frontier south australian road trips
On the hunt for the fresh oysters, on the oyster farm tour in Coffin Bay (photo: Michael Wee).
Jessica Humphries
Jessica Humphries is a travel and wellbeing writer, with a passion for slow travel, nature, and exploring the world mindfully. Formerly the editor of Australian Yoga Journal and a current contributor to a number of well-being publications, Jessica's writing is inspired by her love for yoga, wellness and sustainable living. Her work is a celebration of the beauty of the world and the joys of gentle travel. She is based in the Northern Rivers of NSW and loves to explore her local area too!
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Inside Geelong’s glow-up from factory town to creative capital

    Chloe Cann Chloe Cann
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    Abandoned mills and forgotten paper plants are finding second lives – and helping redefine a city long underestimated. 

    Just 15 years ago, Federal Mills was a very different place. Once among the most significant industrial sites in Victoria, the historic woollen mill was one of a dozen that operated in Geelong at the industry’s peak in the mid-20th century, helping the city earn its title as ‘wool centre of the world’. But by the 1960s global competition and the rise of synthetic fabrics led to the slow decline of the industry, and Federal Mills finally shuttered its doors in 2001. Within a few years, the abandoned North Geelong grounds had become makeshift pastoral land, with cows and goats grazing among the overgrown grass between the empty red-brick warehouses. It was a forgotten pocket of the city, all but two klicks from the bustle of the CBD.  

    Geelong cellar door wine bar
    Geelong has shed its industrial identity to become an innovative urban hub with reimagined heritage spaces. (Image: Ash Hughes)

    Federal Mills: from forgotten factory to creative precinct 

    Today, the century-old complex stands reborn. The distinctive sawtooth-roof buildings have been sensitively restored. An old silo is splashed with a bright floral mural, landscapers have transformed the grounds, and the precinct is once again alive with activity. More than 1000 people work across 50-plus businesses here. It’s so busy, in fact, that on a sunny Thursday morning in the thick of winter, it’s hard to find a car park. The high ceilings, open-plan design, and large multi-paned windows – revolutionary features for factories of their time – have again become a drawcard.  

    Paddock Bakery andPatisserie
    Paddock Bakery and Patisserie is housed within the historic wool factory. (Image: Gallant Lee)

    At Paddock, one of the precinct’s newer tenants, weaving looms and dye vats have been replaced by a wood-fired brick oven and heavy-duty mixers. Open since April 2024, the bakery looks right at home here; the building’s industrial shell is softened by ivy climbing its steel frames, and sunlight streams through the tall windows. Outside, among the white cedar trees, families at picnic benches linger over dippy eggs and bagels, while white-collar workers pass in and out, single-origin coffee and crème brûlée doughnuts in hand. 

    Geelong: Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design 

    Paddock Bakery
    Paddock Bakery can be found at Federal Mills. (Image: Gallant Lee)

    “A lot of people are now seeing the merit of investing in Geelong,” says Paul Traynor, the head of Hamilton Hospitality Group, which redeveloped Federal Mills. A city once shunned as Sleepy Hollow, and spurned for its industrial, working-class roots and ‘rust belt’ image, Geelong has long since reclaimed its ‘Pivot City’ title, having reinvented itself as an affordable, lifestyle-driven satellite city, and a post-COVID migration hotspot.  

    And the numbers stand testament to the change. In March 2025, and for the first time in its history, Greater Geelong became Australia’s most popular regional town for internal migration, overtaking Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Current forecasts suggest Geelong will continue to outpace many other Australian cities and towns, with jobs growing at double the rate of the population.

    Tourism is booming, too. The 2023-24 financial year was Geelong and The Bellarine region’s busiest on record, with 6.4 million visitors making it one of the fastest-growing destinations in the country. It’s not hard to see why: beyond the city’s prime positioning at the doorstep of the Great Ocean Road, Geelong’s tenacity and cultural ambition stands out.  

    As Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Geelong is swiftly shaking off its industrial past to become a model for urban renewal, innovation, sustainability and creative communities. The signs are everywhere, from the revitalisation of the city’s waterfront, and the landmark design of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre and Geelong Arts Centre, to the growing network of local designers, architects and artists, and the burgeoning roster of festivals and events. That’s not even mentioning the adaptive reuse of storied old industrial buildings – from Federal Mills, to Little Creatures’ brewery ‘village’ housed within a 1920s textile mill – or the city’s flourishing food and wine scene.  

    The rise of a food and wine destination  

    boiler house
    Restaurant 1915 is housed within a restored former boiler house. (Image: Harry Pope/Two Palms)

    Traynor credits now-closed local restaurant Igni, which opened in 2016, as the turning point for Geelong’s hospo industry. “[Aaron Turner, Igni’s chef-patron] was probably the first guy, with all due respect, to raise the bar food-wise for Geelong,” he says. “People now treat it really seriously, and there’s clearly a market for it.” While Igni is gone, Turner now helms a string of other notable Geelong venues, including The Hot Chicken Project and Tacos y Liquor, all within the buzzy, street art-speckled laneways of the CBD’s Little Malop Street Precinct. Many others have also popped up in Igni’s wake, including Federal Mills’ own restaurant, 1915. Housed within the cavernous boiler house, 1915’s interior is dramatic: soaring, vaulted ceilings with timber beams, exposed brick, a huge arched window. The share plates echo the space’s bold character, playing with contrast and texture, with dishes such as a compressed watermelon tataki, the sweet, juicy squares tempered by salty strands of fried leeks, and charred, smoky snow peas dusted with saganaki on a nutty bed of romesco. 

    Woolstore
    The Woolstore is a new restaurant and bar housed within a century-old warehouse. (Image: Amy Carlon)

     The Woolstore, one of The Hamilton Group’s most recent hospo projects, opened in February. It occupies a century-old riverside warehouse and exudes a more sultry, fine dining ambience. Much like Federal Mills, the blueprint was to preserve the original brickwork, tallowwood flooring and nods to the building’s former life. That same careful consideration extends to the well-versed, affable waitstaff as well as the kitchen. Head chef Eli Grubb is turning out an eclectic mix of ambitious and indulgent mod Oz dishes that deliver: strikingly tender skewers of chicken tsukune, infused with hints of smoke from the parrilla grill, and glazed with a moreish, sweet gochujang ‘jam’; nduja arancini fragrant with hints of aniseed and the earthy lick of sunny saffron aioli; and golden squares of potato pavé, adorned with tiny turrets of crème fraîche, crisp-fried saltbush leaves, and Avruga caviar, to name but a few stand-out dishes.  

    Woolstore menu
    Woolstore’s menu is designed for sharing.

    Breathing new life into historic spaces  

    On the city’s fringe, hidden down a winding side road with little fanfare, lies a long-dormant site that’s being gently revived. Built from locally quarried bluestone and brick, and dating back to the 1870s, the complex of original tin-roofed mill buildings is lush with greenery and backs onto the Barwon River and Buckley Falls; the audible rush of water provides a soothing soundtrack. Fyansford Paper Mill is one of few complexes of its time to survive intact. It feels steeped in history and spellbindingly rustic.  

    “We were looking for an old industrial place that had some charm and romance to it,” explains Sam Vogel, the owner, director and winemaker at Provenance Wines which moved here in 2018. When he first viewed the building with his former co-owner, it was in such a state of disrepair that the tradie tenant occupying the space had built a shed within it to escape the leaking roof and freezing winter temperatures. “To say it was run down would be an understatement,” he notes. “There was ivy growing through the place; the windows were all smashed. It was a classic Grand Designs project.” 

    Provenance Wines
    Provenance Wines moved to Fyansford Paper Mill in 2018. (Image: Cameron Murray Photography)

    The team has since invested more than a million dollars into their new home. Where paper processing machinery once sat, wine barrels are now stacked. Vaulted cathedral ceilings are strung with festoon lights, and hidden in plain sight lies a shadowy mural by local street artist de rigueur Rone – one of only three permanent works by the artist.

    While the award-winning, cool-climate pinot noir, riesling and chardonnay naturally remain a key draw at Provenance, the winery’s restaurant is a destination in itself. Impressed already by whipsmart service, I devour one of the most cleverly curated and faultlessly executed degustations I’ve had in some time. It’s all prepared in a kitchen that is proudly zero-waste, and committed to providing seasonal, ethical and locally sourced meat and produce under head chef Nate McIver. Think free-range venison served rare with a syrupy red wine jus and a half-moon of neon-orange kosho, shokupan with a deeply savoury duck fat jus (a modern Japanese take on bread and drippings), and a golden potato cake adorned with a colourful confetti of dehydrated nasturtiums and tomato powder, and planted atop a sea urchin emulsion.  

    handcrafted pieces
    Bell’s handcrafted functional pieces on display.

    The complex is home to a coterie of independent businesses, including a gallery, a jeweller, and its latest tenant, ceramicist Elizabeth Bell, drawn here by the building’s “soul”. “There’s so much potential for these buildings to have new life breathed into them,” says Bell, whose studio is housed within the old pump room. “Even people in Geelong don’t know we’re here,” she says. “It’s definitely a destination, but I like that. It has a really calming atmosphere.”  

    A Melbourne transplant, Bell now feels at home in Geelong, which offers something Melbourne didn’t. “If this business was in Melbourne I don’t think it would’ve been as successful,” she notes. “It’s very collaborative in Geelong, and I don’t think you get that as much in Melbourne; you’re a bit more in it for yourself. Here it’s about community over competition.”  

    Elizabeth Bell
    Ceramicist Elizabeth Bell has a store in Fyansford Paper Mill.