7 tips for road tripping success these holidays

From the moment free-wheeling Australians sensed light through the cracks of state border restrictions, we’ve been dreaming up travel extravaganzas larger than the Big Banana, Pineapple and Yamba Prawn combined.

After two undeniably long years of thwarted travel plans, our patience is running on empty. However, while undeterrable travel-addicts are crossing fingers and toes and gambling on international flights, many Australians aren’t quite ready to risk booking overseas travel.

Driving the great ocean road — Get ready to hit the road again.

Back to Roadtrippin’ Australia

As a result of precious time loss, our silver-nomads and young families alike are reassessing lifelong international travel plans.

Every Australian deserves safe, assured, personalised holidays and happily, all those ‘good things promised to those who wait’ are finally being presented on a large, delectable platter. It’s time to take back the streets, the highways and country roads of Australia, to rule the cities and the coastline, the outback and the tropics. It’s time for some holiday DIY (drive it yourself)!

A 4WD driving on sand — From beach to bush to outback, make sure you are well prepared.

Set off with confidence

Yes, the great Aussie road trip is back in full throttle! However, before you drive off into the sunset, we suggest settling your engines for some sage advice.

Now is not the time for total spontaneity, or leaving things to chance, especially when carrying precious cargo – that includes you, your loved ones (furry or otherwise) and even the Christmas Pav.

Whether you’re heading home for the holidays, embarking on a driving adventure across our dusty plains, honed-in on seven glorious days around Tasmania, cruising even a small portion of our stunning coastline or meandering your four-wheel-drive deep into rainforest tranquillity, the one thing you absolutely cannot do without is solid planning. The very act of driving across our enormous, rugged country, where towns can be situated days apart, takes a certain level of skill, preparedness and awareness.

We don’t wish to deter you, far from it – we want to make sure you get away without a hitch! So, in the essence of mateship and spirit of holidays past, present and future we are wrapt to present you with our ‘we’ve got your back’ travel pack of expert tips. Just follow the checklist below to avoid common road-trip pitfalls and further disappointment. Let this summer holiday be ruled equally by heart and common sense.

Your Australian road tripping safety checklist

beat up car — Is your car up to the journey? It may be time to upgrade your vehicle.

1. Is your car up to the challenge?

A quick check up at your local service centre might seem like ‘just another expense’, especially in holiday season, but in the long run it could save you truckloads of cash and most importantly keep you safe. Be prepared for items like brake pads, tyres, and anything else that wears, to possibly need replacing before you take off; of course, if you’ve been thinking about buying a new car now might provide the perfect opportunity.
If the festive season isn’t the time to gift and receive thousands of safe, ergonomically sound, air-conditioned kilometres of road travel – well when the heck is? Be warned however, with vehicle supply delays, dealers have the upper hand. The best way to save is by securing your most competitive interest rate by seeking car loan pre-approval.

Planning a road trip — Loosely planning your road trip is not just sensible but fun.

2. Scouting your route

No matter how long you’re planning to be away there’s plenty to be considered before checking your rear-view mirrors and taking off. Loosely planning your entire route, perhaps detailing the first couple of legs, will save time and frustration, as well as ensure your focus remains on the road ahead. Planning comfort breaks and leg stretches with something for the kids to do is critical when you have the entire brood on board.
Use digital maps such as Google to plot out essential points on route – from coffee and toilet stops to fuel and police stations (particularly if travelling solo), to tollways and places of interest you’ll likely miss if you stick to the main drag.
From time to time, you may find yourself out of mobile phone reception range, so before you leave, download whatever information you need, including maps, onto your device. Don’t scrimp on your playlists, a bit of chill or trance might be perfect for short scenic drives but hours into extended trips and you’re likely to need something a little more upbeat.

Packed car — Consider your cargo and what can safely fit in your car.

3. Consider your cargo

Sure, there’s the obvious packing to be done (e.g. clothes, toiletries and essential medications) and begging for favours (i.e. neighbours to feed the cat, water the plants, collect the mail etc) – but there are fewer things more crucial than securing extra oil, radiator fluid and more water than you think you’ll need – especially if driving on remote stretches without access to roadside assistance.
The essential list of items to pack for a remote Aussie road trip include a 2-way radio, survival kit and other specialised equipment may be necessary, so be sure to do your research when navigating unfamiliar outback destinations. Check for last minute items like mints or ginger sweets for tummies prone to motion sickness, wet wipes, hand sanitiser, small garbage bags, pet bowls and eucalyptus oil to mask funky odours. Don’t forget the Eski, back support pillow and a first aid kit if not already on board… ah, you’ve got this. Lastly, get a good night’s sleep.

Set off early to avoid heavy traffic and delays.

4. Ready, set, go.

Leave early to avoid traffic and stay refreshed longer. Keep hydrated (also caffeinated, if that’s your thing). Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination; in peak travel periods a breakdown, even if it’s someone else’s, can add hours to your journey and there’s never a good reason to rush on the road – holiday calling or not. If travelling with friends arrange a kitty for petrol, tolls, snacks, cleaning etc. If kids are along for the ride, and miraculously don’t have their heads glued to an electronic device, pre-plan some games or a singalong (I mean who doesn’t love a few thousand rounds of eye-spy with my little eye, or never-ending chorus of Kookaburra sits in the old gumtree), or other in-car activities to keep them occupied and your head from spinning off on the longest expanses.

Big Banana Coffs harbour — Break up he drive with a selfie at one of Australia’s ‘big things’. (Image: DNSW)

5. Stay on track

Break up the drive with regular stops at scenic lookouts or interesting towns. Gulp plenty of fresh sea or country air – it’s free and a great way to refresh and reset. Alternatively, spending some money in a regional bakery or cafe can go a long way to helping the locals and spreading holiday cheer – it’s also good for the soul. If you’re feeling sleepy or unwell make sure you pull over for a break or nap, swap with a co-driver or call it a night and stay at the nearest accommodation.

Car Rental Sign Airport — Consider clocking up miles on someone’s else’s car via a rental.

6. Rocking a rental

If time is of the essence? Hiring a car to suit your holiday budget, comfort and personal style requirements might be the answer, with the added bonus you are adding kms to the odometer of a car that is not yours. The booking process is simple, and you drive away safe in the knowledge that all reputable companies run their fleet through constant safety assessments and upgrades. Purchase comprehensive insurance (read the fine print) and you’ll avoid additional costs in the case of an accident. If your rental is out of action, it will be swiftly replaced for continuing your trip. It’s worth shopping around as prices do vary and may increase with demand. Book as soon as you’ve circled your travel dates, otherwise those already on track with their holiday-road-trip-to-freedom may well have scarfed the lot.

Hook turn sign, Melbourne — Remember that this may be one country but road rules do change between cities… Melbourne’s hook turn being the most notorious.

7. Additional extras

You might be an excellent driver and know your automobile inside and out, but road conditions and rules vary from state to state so it’s worth educating yourself for possible anomalies (think Victoria’s infamous hook turns or giving way to horses in Queensland). When your vehicle is heavily laden, you’ll also need to be mindful of issues such as your headlights shining higher, or your newly low-hanging chassis being damaged on uneven surfaces. Know your tow limits, height and width restrictions and if going off-road ensure your wheels (including spares) and suspension are up to the task. Finally, remember, once you’re out there, to relax, take in the beauty of your surroundings, let the wind blow through your hair – and enjoy your well-earned break, assured everything is in check. You’re welcome. Happy holidays.

Slow down and find your rhythm on a Murray River journey through time and place.

Trust is a funny thing. It seems not that long ago that my mother was insisting on pouring the milk into my cereal bowl, because she didn’t trust me not to slosh it over the table, and yet here I am on the Murray River at Mildura in far north-west Victoria, being handed the keys to a very new and very expensive luxury houseboat.

After a crash course in how not to crash, I’m at the wheel of the good ship Elevate – pride of the All Seasons fleet – guiding her upstream past red-ochre cliffs as pelicans glide above the rippled river and kookaburras call from reedy banks. There’s a brief moment of breath-holding while I negotiate a hairpin turn around a jagged reef of skeletal, submerged gum trees, before a cheer rings out and calm descends as the timeless river unfurls in front of us.

The Murray River winding through Yarrawonga. (Image: Rob Blackburn)

Setting sail from Mildura

Murray River birds — Home to a large number of bird species, including pelicans. (Image: The Precint Studios)

A journey along the Murray River is never less than magical, and launching from Mildura makes perfect sense. Up here the river is wide and largely empty, giving novice skippers like myself the confidence to nudge the 60-tonne houseboat up to the riverbank where we tie up for the night, without fear of shattering the glass elevator (the boat is fully wheelchair accessible) or spilling our Champagne.

My friends and I spend three days on the water, swimming and fishing, sitting around campfires onshore at night, and basking in air so warm you’d swear you were in the tropics. The simplicity of river life reveals an interesting dichotomy: we feel disconnected from the world but at the same time connected to Country, privileged to be part of something so ancient and special.

Stop one: Echuca

19th-century paddlesteamers — A historic 19th-century paddlesteamer cruises along the Murray River. (Image: Visit Victoria)

The six-hour drive from Melbourne to Mildura (or four hours and 20 minutes from Adelaide) is more than worth it, but you don’t have to travel that far to find fun on the river. Once Australia’s largest inland port, Echuca is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne (two hours 45 minutes), and you’ll still find a plethora of paddlesteamers tethered to the historic timber wharf, a throwback to the thriving river trade days of the 19th century. The PS Adelaide, built in 1866 and the oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer operating in the world, departs daily for one-hour cruises, while a brand-new paddlesteamer, the PS Australian Star , is launching luxury seven-night voyages in December through APT Touring.

The town is also a hot food and wine destination. St Anne’s Winery at the historic Port of Echuca precinct has an incredibly photogenic cellar door, set inside an old carriage builders’ workshop on the wharf and filled with huge, 3000-litre port barrels. The Mill, meanwhile, is a cosy winter spot to sample regional produce as an open fire warms the red-brick walls of this former flour mill.

Stop two: Barmah National Park

Just half-an-hour upstream, Barmah National Park is flourishing, its river red gum landscape (the largest in the world) rebounding magnificently after the recent removal of more than 700 feral horses. The internationally significant Ramsar-listed wetland sits in the heart of Yorta Yorta Country, with Traditional Owners managing the environment in close partnership with Parks Victoria. Walkways weave through the forest, crossing creeks lined with rare or threatened plants, passing remnants of Yorta Yorta oven mounds and numerous scar trees, where the bark was removed to build canoes, containers or shields.

The Dharnya Centre (open weekdays until 3pm) is the cultural hub for the Yorta Yorta. Visitors can learn about the ecological significance of the Barmah Lakes on a 90-minute river cruise, led by a First Nations guide, or take a one-hour, guided cultural walking tour along the Yamyabuc Trail.

Stop three: Cobram

Continue east to Cobram to find the southern hemisphere’s largest inland beach. Swarming with sun-seekers in summer, the white sand of Thompson’s Beach is shaded by majestic river red gums and dotted with hundreds of beach umbrellas, as beachgoers launch all manner of water craft and set up stumps for beach cricket. But the beach is at its most captivating at sunset, when the crowds thin out, the glassy river mirrors the purple sky, and the canopies of the gum trees glow fiery orange.

The region is also home to some fine resorts and indulgent retreats. Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort has two riverside championship golf courses, luxury apartments and self-contained villas. While not strictly on the Murray, the historic wine town of Rutherglen is rife with boutique (and unique) accommodation, including an exquisitely renovated red-brick tower in a French provincial-style castle at Mount Ophir Estate. Fans of fortified wines can unravel the mystery of Rutherglen’s ‘Muscat Mile’, meeting the vignerons and master-blenders whose artistry has put the town on the global map for this rich and complex wine style.

Stop four: Albury-Wodonga

First Nations YindyamarraSculpture Walk — First Nations Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is part of the Wagirra Trail. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Follow the river far enough upstream and you’ll arrive at the twin border cities of Albury-Wodonga. The Hume Highway thunders through, but serenity can be found along the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk – part of the Wagirra Trail that meanders through river wetlands just west of Albury in Wiradjuri country. Fifteen sculptures by local First Nations artists line the trail, conveying stories of reconciliation, enduring connection to culture, local Milawa lore and traditional practices. It feels a long way from Mildura, and it is, but the pelicans and kookaburras remind us that it’s the same river, the great conduit that connects our country.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

New Mildura motel Kar-rama. (Image: Iain Bond Photo)

Kar-Rama is a brand-new boutique, retro-styled motel in Mildura, with a butterfly-shaped pool and a tropical, Palm Springs vibe. Echuca Holiday Homes has a range of high-end accommodation options, both on the riverfront and in town.

Playing there

BruceMunro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura — Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights in Mildura. (Image: Imogen Eveson)

Artist Bruce Munro’s Trail of Lights installation, comprising more than 12,000 illuminated ‘fireflies’, is currently lighting up Mildura’s Lock Island in the middle of the Murray. Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) is a hub for contemporary art, with a rotating roster of exhibitions, and is a major outlet for young and First Nations artists.

Eating there

Mildura’s diverse demographic means it’s a fantastic place to eat. Andy’s Kitchen is a local favourite, serving up delicious pan-Asian dishes and creative cocktails in a Balinese-style garden setting. Call in to Spoons Riverside in Swan Hill to enjoy locally sourced, seasonal produce in a tranquil setting overlooking the river.