From knotted forests and windswept coastlines to postcard-plucked gorges, our 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards have revealed Australia’s most revered road trips.

You’ve got the playlist, the snacks and the company. The tank is full and your out-of-office is on. There’s just one problem: in a country where every road seems to end in a jaw-drop moment – rainforest, reef or red dirt horizon – how do you choose just one?

The answer: take it from those who’ve done it before. We asked you (our readers) to vote for your favourite Aussie road trips in our 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. From winding coastal icons to wild outback adventures, these are Australia’s most well-loved journeys on four wheels.

Winner: Great Ocean Road , Vic

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

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

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

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

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.