Australia’s best road trips ranked by you

Winner: Great Ocean Road , Vic

Explore the Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road. (Image: Visit Victoria / Kirk Richards)

A stranger to few but a favourite of many, Victoria’s Great Ocean Road came out as the top road trip in Australia – and for good reason. This dreamy stretch of coastline snakes 243 kilometres from the surfing hotspot of Torquay to the quaint town of Allansford. In between, you’ll pass the spectacular limestone stacks known as the Twelve Apostles, the fascinating shipwreck site of Loch Ard Gorge and Apollo Bay, sandwiched between the Southern Ocean and the foothills of the Otways.

Runners-up: Australia’s best road trips

Tasmania/Lutruwita

Add Cradle Mountain to your Tassie road trip itinerary. (Image: Tourism Tasmania / Luke O’Brien)

Tasmania/Lutruwita is another driving destination worth filling the tank for. Whether you’re steering from Hobart to Bruny Island or Launceston to Cradle Mountain, the Apple Isle has a slew of gorgeous road trips waiting to embrace you in a warm southerly hug. Unsure where to start? This seven-day Tasmania road itinerary promises plenty of magical moments, blending foodie delights, historic intrigue and breathtaking national parks in one wondrous week.

Gibb River Road, WA

Make a pit stop at Bell Gorge. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

If striking water holes, vast dirt roads and working cattle stations sound like your idea of an adventure, Gibb River Road is worth adding to your radar. One of Australia’s best road trips, the 660-kilometre drive in Western Australia’s Kimberley traverses the traditional lands of many Aboriginal people, providing travellers with an opportunity to better appreciate the region’s ancestral heritage. This 11-day itinerary dives into all the highlights – crocodiles included.

Cairns to Port Douglas, Qld

Great Barrier Reef Drive is one of Australia's best road trips

The Great Barrier Reef Drive is worthy of a postcard. (Image: Reuben Nutt)

Part of the longer 140-kilometre Great Barrier Reef Drive, this bite-sized tropical journey clocks in at just over an hour – if you manage to resist all the scenic stops (good luck with that). Few coastal drives rival its beauty; think gin-clear waters and palm-fringed beaches opening out to the Coral Sea. Throw your swimmers and walking shoes in the boot (spontaneity is the dress code here) and pull over at the Rex Lookout for knockout views back towards Cairns. And if you’re in no rush to head back, keep cruising to Cape Tribulation (approximately two more hours north of Port Douglas), where you can explore the oldest living rainforest in the world and cool off in the myriad creeks and swimming holes.

East Coast of Australia

Hit the road in Yeppoon, Queensland. (Image: Reuben Nutt)

If ambition and time are no issue, why not tackle a larger stretch of road? Spanning the length of Queensland down to New South Wales, the East Coast appears on many a bucket list and has been recognised by our readers as one of Australia’s best road trips. Start at Airlie Beach or Cape Tribulation and spend some time snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef, then make a city stop in Brisbane, cruise through the breezy beach town of Byron Bay and roam the Tweed hinterland. Before making it down to Sydney (or continuing further to the gorgeous NSW South Coast), tick off a coastal walk in Coffs Harbour and spot dolphins in Port Stephens.

Depending on where you choose to start and finish, the drive will take between four to six weeks at a relaxed paced, or can be squeezed into two if you’re keen to hit the highlights. Of course, there’s always the option to complete smaller sections to fit your time frame.

From the Kimberley to Cape York, explore Australia’s epic and varied landscapes on curated and all-inclusive, intimate adventures via custom-built all-terrain coaches with Outback Spirit.

From the tip of the Northern Territory to the rugged coast of the country’s southernmost point, Australia is a continent ripe with diverse and distinct adventures that are captivating and inspiring in equal measure. Luckily, so many of them are accessible by car with epic road trips that showcase the journey as much as the destination. With Outback Spirit, the award-winning and eco-certified tour operator from leading experiential tourism group Journey Beyond, the road less travelled – accessible in custom-built all-terrain coaches chaperoned by expert local guides – is the only way to go.

From the dramatic jewels of the Kimberley in Western Australia to the remote stretches of Savannah Way in the country’s far north, Outback Spirit does all the hard work on all-inclusive, small-group tours that pause at an exclusive network of lodges and safari camps – so you can just enjoy the ride.

1. The Kimberley

With an otherworldly ambience that must be experienced to be understood, the Kimberley is a cornucopia of breathtaking cliffs, stunning gorges and exceptional waterways. A highlight of the 13-day Jewels of the Kimberley adventure is the spectacular 18-minute scenic helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungles. You’ll encounter a bounty of new perspectives elsewhere, too, between the astounding cruise through the Attenborough-approved Buccaneer Archipelago, humbling walks beneath ancient rock drawings, and evenings spent in the comfort of Outback Spirit’s exclusive-use, well-appointed Ngauwudu Safari Camp Safari Suites.

Relax in Ngauwudu Safari Camp Safari Suites.

2. Arnhem Land

The Traditional Lands of the Yolngu People reach into your heart and stay there. Outback Spirit’s 13-day Arnhem Land Wetlands & Wildlife tour was conceived in extensive consultation with Traditional Owners to guarantee a true immersion in Country. Explore the world’s largest outdoor rock art gallery; try your luck catching a metre-long barramundi; and discover pristine ecosystems from freshwater swamps to rocky escarpments. Relax each night in comfortable lodges exclusive to Outback Spirit, including the iconic Seven Spirit Bay Resort. Here, sophisticated luxury villas are perched on the bay’s edge overlooking clear, turquoise waters of Coral Bay.

Seven Spirit Bay in arnhem land — Enjoy the views at Seven Spirit Bay Resort.

3. Cape York

Travelling from Cairns to Cape York and back over 13 days, the small-group Cape York Wilderness Adventure tour runs from May to September, with unparalleled access to stunning sacred destinations and vibrant experiences on Thursday, Horn and Friday islands in the Torres Strait. The World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest is a star of the expedition, with the exclusive guided Dreamtime Gorge Walk with a Kuku Yulanji elder taking place beneath lush ferns, with the commanding rumble of Mossman Gorge in the distance.

tour guide at Mossman Gorge — Join the Dreamtime Gorge Walk. (Image: TEQ)

4. Margaret River

The nine-day Margaret River & Rottnest Discovery highlights fine wine, great food, art, music and local produce at Leeuwin Estate on the vineyard-packed banks of the Margaret River, pausing to explore the ancient underground caves and towering Karri timber forests. Start the journey with a ride on the iconic Indian Pacific and pop to Rottnest Island on the tail-end of the trip, with 10,000 quokkas to befriend and 63 gorgeous beaches to explore before lunch. With bubbles included, of course.

food and wine at Leeuwin Estate — Treat your tastebuds at Leeuwin Estate. (Image: Tourism WA)

5. Savannah Way

On this 15-day Leichhardt’s Savannah Expedition , Outback Spirit’s custom all-terrain Mercedes-Benz coaches cross two states from Cairns to Darwin. After visiting the most northerly camp of the Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860/61 and visiting the see-it-to-believe-it Millaa Millaa Falls (refreshing swim optional!), you’ll indulge in three nights at the million-acre Lorella Springs Station, a sunset dinner cruise on the Gulf of Carpentaria and a dip in warmed thermal pools in the middle of the wilderness.

aerial of Millaa Millaa Falls — Dive into Millaa Millaa Falls. (Image: TEQ)

6. Central Australia

The captivating splendour of Uluru is the central focus of the eight-day Red Centre Explorer tour, which includes Alice Springs and Kings Canyon among its stops. Hosted on the sacred lands of the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Anangu, this itinerary is grounded in the landscape, with visits to the critically acclaimed Field of Light installation, a multi-course dinner under the stars at Ayers Rock Resort, and a didgeridoo performance to accompany bush-tucker-packed snacks all within the shadow of the sacred geological site. Awaken early for a sunrise over the pindan plateau, the image of which will remain in your memory for a lifetime to come.

two people in front of the field of light — Marvel at the Field of Light installation (Image: Tourism NT/ Lola and Jira/ Uluru Kata-Tjuta NP)

7. Flinders Ranges

The remote South Australian landscape is your playground on the 11-day Outback South Australia tour, which takes in the sights (including Wilpena Pound and beloved Lake Eyre), sounds and flavours of the ‘festival’ state. At Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, cosmos chasers will enjoy a tour of the stars at the accredited onsite astronomical observatory as endangered yellow-footed rock wallabies bounce in the dark. The next day, guests will take to open-air 4WDs with expert guides for the Ridgetop Tour to explore the breathtaking, unique 1600-million-year-old landscape within the Flinders Ranges.

mist around Wilpena Pound in flinders ranges — See the impressive Wilpena Pound. (Image: Emile Ristevski)

8. Tasmania

Take in stunning views from Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park (or, afterwards, from the comfort of Cradle Mountain Lodge) on the 12-day curated Tasmanian Wilderness Explorer itinerary. Taste the incredible food on Bruny Island and wander Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park. Traverse the glacial-formed Dove Lake on a 5.7-kilometre hike; soak up sombre history at Port Arthur; and pose with penguins in Penguin before settling in for the night at Outback Spirit’s suite of exclusive partner lodges.

Wineglass Bay in tasmania — See the spectacular Wineglass Bay. (Image: Chad Dewson)

Find your Outback Spirit with the 2026 season. Book now to receive Earlybird savings up to $2200 per person at outbackspirittours.com.au .