Find all 100 Amazing Road Trips here

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Discover Australia’s top 100 Amazing Road Trips in one quick reference guide.

Start planning your next road trip by reading our 100 Amazing Road Trips by experience below.

Coastal road trips

Even a road trip well-travelled can reveal plenty of surprises if you take the time to slow down. Here are 11 of Australia’s best coastal road trips to inspire you.

  • Sydney to the Gold Coast
  • Sydney to Ulladulla, NSW
  • Broome to Cape Leveque, WA
  • The Capricorn Coast, Qld
  • The Great Green Way, Qld
  • East Coast Tasmania
  • Fleurieu Peninsula, SA
  • Sydney to Port Macquarie, NSW
  • Eyre Peninsula, SA
  • Central Coast, NSW
  • Yorke Peninsula, SA

Iconic road trips

Journeys of epic proportions through wilderness that will shift your perceptions and stay with you forever. Here are 11 of Australia’s iconic road trips to inspire you.

  • Gibb River Road, WA
  • Sydney to Melbourne
  • Darwin to Kakadu, NT
  • Kosciuszko Alpine Way, NSW
  • Hobart to Cradle Mountain, Tas
  • The Nullarbor
  • Murray River Drive
  • Great Barrier Reef Drive, Qld
  • Adelaide to Ikara/Flinders Ranges National Park, SA
  • Great Ocean Road, Vic
  • The Big Lap

Don’t miss our beautifully illustrated wall map of the Great Ocean Road and Geelong in our 100 Amazing Road Trips edition or you can download the PDF version.

Great Ocean Road Illustrated Map

Illustration: Mike Rossi @micro.grafik

Outback road trips

Take a journey into the vast, red heart of Australia and discover the magic of the outback. Here are seven of Australia’s best outback road trips to inspire you.

  • Golden Quest Discovery Trail, WA
  • Broken Hill via White Cliffs, NSW
  • Kings Canyon to Uluru, NT
  • The Warlu Way, WA
  • The Savannah Way
  • The Canning Stock Route, WA
  • The Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail, WA

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Regional road trips

It’s not just good things that come in small packages, but road trips too. Here are 13 of Australia’s best regional road trips to inspire you.

  • Huon Valley, Tas
  • Victoria’s Silo Art Trail
  • Dubbo, NSW
  • Mudgee, NSW
  • Brisbane to Charleville, Qld
  • Bushranger Country, Vic
  • Hobart to Launceston, Tas
  • Scenic Rim, Qld
  • Northern Rivers, NSW
  • Great Alpine Road, Vic
  • Limestone Coast, SA
  • Bathurst, NSW
  • Albany to Margaret River, WA

Weekend road trips

Even a short weekend road trip can leave you feeling refreshed for the months ahead. Here are 12 of Australia’s best weekend road trip destinations to inspire you.

  • Sydney to Wolgan Valley, NSW
  • The Grampians, Vic
  • Kangaroo Island, SA
  • Phillip Island, Vic
  • Darwin to Katherine, NT
  • Sunshine Coast, Qld
  • West Coast, Tas
  • Daylesford & Macedon Ranges, Vic
  • Southern Highlands, NSW
  • Canberra museum road trip, ACT
  • Lithgow round trip, NSW
  • Canberra to Sapphire Coast

Day trip drives

While the next long weekend is still months away, one can still explore by taking easy day trips from the city. Here, find the best day trip drives to inspire you.

  • Wildflowers road trip, WA
  • Litchfield Loop, NT
  • Swan Valley, WA
  • Great Beach Drive, Qld
  • Mary River Valley, Qld
  • Kenilworth, Qld
  • Adelaide Hills, SA
  • Tasman Peninsula, Tas
  • Melbourne to Marysville, Vic
  • Sydney’s Northern Beaches, NSW
  • Royal National Park, NSW
  • Mornington Peninsula, Vic

No drive road trips

Kick back, relax, and let someone else take the wheel. Here are 8 of Australia’s best no drive road trips to inspire you.

  • That Pink Merc, NSW
  • Globus Gems of the Red Centre, NT
  • Outback Spirit Binns Track, NT
  • Melbourne urban tram trip, Vic
  • Kiff & Culture Brisbane to Byron food trail
  • AAT Kings Outback Adventure
  • Overland Adventure Aboard the Ghan
  • Inspiring Journeys Dark Mofo, Tas

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Off-the-beaten-track road trips

Give way to spontaneity and discover some hidden gems along the road less-travelled. Here are 9 of Australia’s best off-the-beaten-track road trips to inspire you.

  • Atherton Tablelands, Qld
  • Darling River Run, NSW
  • Oodnadatta Track, SA
  • Tassie’s interior
  • Arnhem Way, NT
  • Launceston to Penguin/Stanley/Tarkine, Tas
  • Sydney to Birdsville (and back)
  • Cocos Keeling West Island Tour
  • Port Douglas to Coolangatta, Qld

Food and wine road trips

Some road trips lead to the most memorable food and wine experiences in Australia. Foodies, take note: here are 11 of Australia’s best food-and-wine-focused road trips to inspire you.

  • Hunter Valley winery trail, NSW
  • Noosa Country Drive, Qld
  • The Tasmanian Whisky & Spirits Trail
  • Melbourne to Macedon Ranges, Vic
  • Melbourne to Gippsland, Vic
  • Adelaide to Barossa Valley, SA
  • Orange winery trail, NSW
  • Adelaide to McLaren Vale, SA
  • Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast
  • Sydney to Canberra via Yass
  • Margaret River region, WA

Two-wheel drives

Not all road trips require four wheels. Sometimes riding freely atop your two-wheeler can be just as exhilarating, especially in Australia. Here are six of Australia’s best cycling and motorcycle trips to inspire you.

  • New England High Country, NSW
  • Cairns to Cape York by motorbike, Qld
  • Great Southern Rail Trail, Vic
  • Lakes Highway, Tas
  • Cycling the Clare Valley, SA
  • Canberra’s cold climate wine region, ACT

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Tropical islands, good food & world-class shows: Your eventful guide to a holiday in Townsville

    Lee Mylne Lee Mylne
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    Townsville is buzzing as the events capital of North Queensland, with a host of festivals, international sporting and arts events on offer.

    Perched between the Coral Sea, the towering pink monolith of Castle Hill, and fringed by ancient rainforest ranges, Townsville North Queensland is a genuine tropical playground.

    Here, find postcard-worthy landscapes all the way from nearby Magnetic Island to inland swimming holes and waterfalls – all dotted with an array of endemic wildlife. Get the heart racing with adrenaline water sports. Soak in a world-class arts scene. And take advantage of a culinary offering that punches well above its weight.

    And, then there’s the fact that Townsville has fast become the destination to an outstanding line-up of events – from live music to top-level sporting contests.

    Whether you have a weekend or weeks, there’s plenty here to fill your tropical getaway.

    Day 1: An eventful day

    Morning

    The Strand in townsville
    Explore The Strand.

    Daily flights offer easy connectivity from all capital cities to Townsville Airport, and within 10 minutes’ drive, you’re in the city centre. Start your stay by recharging with breakfast or coffee at the city’s newest spot, Botaniq Cafe, on the ground floor of the award-winning Bridgewater restaurant on the banks of Ross Creek.

    Start exploring on a breezy walk along the 2.5-kilometre foreshore of The Strand. Here, a waterfront path stretches all the way to the headland of Jezzine Barracks parklands. Admire more than 35 sculptures and artworks, as well as stunning views from the top of the park. Further along, Queens Gardens, established in 1870, offers a cool retreat and is Townsville’s oldest botanic garden.

    Stroll Gregory Street, off The Strand, for boutiques, homeware stores, cafes and restaurants, or follow a self-guided street art walking trail through the city centre, stopping to admire colourful works by big-name artists including Queenslander Fintan Magee.

    Afternoon

    concert in front of castle hill townsville events
    Time your trip for one of many Townsville events.

    For a casual lunch, stop in at Balabite for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired street food. Build your own pita with a choice of fillings, before enjoying a relaxing afternoon in preparation for one of Townsville’s big events.

    Whether it’s a concert from a big-name international band – think Foo Fighters or Guns ‘n’ Roses – or a night cheering on the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup, there’s plenty to entertain you.

    Time your visit for events like the Townsville Folk Festival (June 12-14), Supercars Townsville 500 (July 10-12), Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week (August 27-September 2), North Australian Festival of Arts (September 25 – October 11) or see the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup (coming in 2027).

    Day 2: Island dreaming

    Morning

    Pilgrim Sailing magnetic island
    Take a lunchtime sailing trip with Pilgrim Sailing.

    Fuel up with breakfast at Cbar on The Strand, looking out to your destination for the day: Magnetic Island (or ‘Maggie’ to the locals). Catch a quick ferry to spend the day exploring walking trails through national park, choosing from 23 beaches and trying a hand at the island’s water sports.

    The Forts Walk is the best place to see wild koalas in Australia, and you’re likely to find friendly wallabies at the Nelly or Geoffrey Bay headlands. Try guided snorkelling with Aquascene Magnetic Island or Pleasure Divers, or take a land-based tour with MI Ride Discovery Tours to the secluded west coast of the island.

    Pilgrim Magnetic Island offers four-hour lunchtime sailing trips aboard a 58-foot luxury yacht, dropping in to some of Magnetic Island’s remote bays for snorkelling or swimming and including gourmet grazing platters, drinks and ocean views.

    Afternoon

    picnic bay on magnetic island
    Head to Picnic Bay for delicious dining.

    Refuel after a morning of adventure. Seasalt Arcade at Picnic Bay has several good options. Savour craft brews and Latin tapas at Maggie Island Brewery, opt for bagels and light bites at Lava Lava cafe or fine dining at Restaurant Elsie.

    Now, it’s time to choose your own adventure. Stay the whole day on Maggie, or return to Townsville, where there’s plenty more to discover.

    Head to The Docks at Flinders Street Wharves for lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the beach or join Poseidon Adventures for water sport adventures.

    Evening

    Ardo's Rooftop townsville
    End your day watching the sunset from Ardo’s Rooftop.

    However your day looked, end it with cocktails and canapes at Townsville’s Ardo Rooftop. Find something more substantial at the hotel’s elegant but casual Chef-hatted Japanese restaurant Terasu, where each dish is a work of art.

    Day 3: Natural delights

    Morning

    couple holiding hands at the top of castle hill in townsville
    Join the locals for an early walk to the peak of Castle Hill. (Credit: My Colourful World)

    Join the local early morning pilgrimage to hike up Castle Hill for the best 360-degree views in town, before heading to breakfast at Spirited Goat for gourmet treats and locally brewed coffee.

    A trip to Townsville wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the outer Great Barrier Reef. For those with time, Adrenalin Snorkel and Dive runs full-day trips to the Museum of Underwater Art for snorkellers and divers to admire the reef’s stunning collection of submerged sculptures on John Brewer Reef, about two hours by boat from Townsville.

    Afternoon

    Shorehouse restaurant townsville
    Stop into the award-winning Shorehouse.

    Round off your Townsville getaway with lunch at Shorehouse, awarded Best Restaurant in the North Queensland People’s Choice Awards every year since 2023. Dine on the deck to catch the breeze and sample modern Asian cuisine as you watch the world go.

    Keen for something more to extend your stay? There are always more adventures –new, familiar and with a twist – in the events capital of the North.

    Plan your eventful visit to Townsville North Queensland at townsvillenorthqueensland.com.au.

    Find all 100 Amazing Road Trips here - Australian Traveller