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Australia’s most loved winter road trips revealed

Credit: Tourism Western Australia

Emily Murphy Emily Murphy
The data is in, and the most loved drives this winter are…

We’re in the thick of winter right now, which means peak season for rugging up, hitting the open road and chasing everything from misty coastal cliffs to red-dirt outback horizons.

A report by the car insurance experts at ROLLiN’ has crunched the numbers to reveal the most loved winter road trips in Australia. By analysing 22 of the country’s most iconic routes across key data points – including search volume, social media buzz, Google reviews and distance – they’ve ranked the ultimate cold-weather drives that travellers can’t get enough of. Here’s how they stacked up.

1. Great Ocean Road

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The Great Ocean Road is the most popular winter road trip.

Coming in at first place as the most loved road trip is the Great Ocean Road, and it’s a no-brainer. It’s one of the most iconic drives in Australia: 243 kilometres of coastal magic from Torquay to Allansford. With 83,900 monthly searches and over 33 million TikToks, it’s clearly a crowd favourite. Throw in jaw-dropping views like the Twelve Apostles and a solid 4.73 Google rating across its top spots, and it’s no wonder this trip racks up a massive 98.2 score.

2. Grand Pacific Drive

Sea Cliff Bridge
Drive along the Sea Cliff Bridge on the Grand Pacific Drive. (Image: Destination NSW)

In second place is the Grand Pacific Drive, a shorter 140-kilometre trip that still delivers the goods. Winding from the Royal National Park to Shoalhaven, it pulls in 24,200 monthly searches and a top-notch 4.78 rating. Think cliff-hugging roads, sea breeze, and plenty of Insta-worthy stops, and it’s easy to see why it’s a favourite.

3. Great Beach Drive

Great Beach Drive
Drive along the beach on the Great Beach Drive. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Taking out the third spot is the Great Beach Drive, a 380-kilometre stretch from Noosa to Hervey Bay that’s all about sun, sand, and serious 4WD vibes. It might not rack up the same search numbers, but with over 620,000 Instagram posts, a strong 4.74 average Google rating across its top three attractions, and highlights like Rainbow Beach and K’gari, it’s clearly doing something right.

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4. Sydney to Melbourne Road Trip

Rounding out the top four is the ultimate long-haul: the 1040-kilometre coastal cruise linking Sydney and Melbourne. It’s not chasing viral fame – just 5126 TikToks to its name – but it more than makes up for it with a rock-solid 4.78 Google rating and 249,200 Instagram posts along the way. From the South Coast’s beach towns to Gippsland’s lakes, it’s proof that the best road trips aren’t always the shortest ones.

5. Gibb River Road

Gibb River Road
Head to the outback on Gibb River Road. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Coming in at fifth is Western Australia’s Gibb River Road, the ultimate dry-season bucket-lister. At 660 kilometres through some of the country’s most remote outback terrain, it still manages 19,800 monthly searches and a strong 4.77 rating. Winter is peak time to tackle it too, with dust-free roads, swimmable gorges and some of the best stargazing anywhere in the country.

6. Epicurean Way

Sixth place goes to South Australia’s Epicurean Way, a 223-kilometre trail through the state’s best wine country. Search volume is modest, but this route is a social media darling, boasting 2421 posts per kilometre – the highest of any road trip on the list. Rolling vineyards, cellar doors and long lunches will do that.

7. Great Barrier Reef Drive

Great Barrier Reef Drive
Take the scenic route on the Great Barrier Reef Drive. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

In seventh is the Great Barrier Reef Drive, a 140-kilometre run from Cairns up through Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation. With a 4.69 Google rating and over 107,000 Instagram posts, it’s the pick for travellers chasing tropical reef-meets-rainforest scenery – and two World Heritage-listed sites in one drive.

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8. Great Eastern Drive

Eighth on the list is Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive, a 220-kilometre east coast run that punches well above its weight with a 4.79 Google rating – one of the highest of any route ranked. Freycinet National Park and the blinding-white sands of Bay of Fires make it a stunner, even if it flies under the radar on search and social.

9. Red Centre Way

Ninth place belongs to the Northern Territory’s Red Centre Way, 666 kilometres through the heart of the outback linking Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Uluṟu. It’s a bucket-list route for starry skies and ochre landscapes, pulling in 2818 TikToks and a 4.63 rating.

10. Explorer’s Way

Closing out the top 10 is the Explorer’s Way – Australia’s true epic at 3000 kilometres from Adelaide to Darwin. It’s the longest road trip on the list by a huge margin, and while its per-kilometre numbers are modest, 206,600 Instagram posts show plenty of travellers are still up for the challenge of crossing the continent, red dirt and all.

What does it all mean? That winter road tripping in Australia is alive and well. Whether you’re chasing rugged coastlines, remote outback adventures or misty rainforest vibes, there’s a road trip calling your name. And with fewer crowds, crisper air and the chance to spot wildlife like migrating whales or desert wildflowers, winter could just be the best time to pack the car and hit the road.

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Emily Murphy
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
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Exploding supernovas & gold fever: discover the past at this outback Qld town

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Under wide-open outback skies, discover a fossicking gem that’s managed to slip under the radar.

    While the name Clermont may feel new to even the most intrepid traveller, its gilded history stretches back centuries. You’ll find it just off the highway, humming quietly under the hazy veil of Queensland’s outback sun. It’s here, hemmed in by mountains and perched atop soil heavy with the earth’s treasures, that one of Australia’s most accessible outback adventures awaits.

    Thanks to deposits of gold, copper and gemstones – souvenirs left by exploding supernovas and the heave of tectonic plates – Clermont became a centre point of Queensland’s Gold Rush. And now? Australia’s fossicking capital is yours to discover.

    Getting there

    car driving along Capricorn Way in queensland
    Take a drive through Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. (Image: Sean Scott/ TEQ)

    You’ll find Clermont in Queensland’s Mackay Isaac region. To get here, it’s an easy three-hour drive over sealed roads from Mackay. Or, if you’re heading from the Sapphire Fields of Emerald, the drive will carve out just over an hour from your day.

    Whether you’re road-tripping through outback Queensland or just tracing your way through all that Australia has to offer, Clermont is remote but easily accessible.

    Best accommodation in Clermont

    Theresa CreekDam in clermont
    Camp by Theresa Creek Dam. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    All accommodation comes with a generous helping of country hospitality here. The choice is yours between modern hotels, parking up the camper or pitching a tent.

    Theresa Creek Dam lies just outside town. Begin each day with crisp country air and bright outback sunrises. Spend the night under the sparkling country stars and your days out on the dam fishing or kayaking. Even if you aren’t camping, be sure to save space in your itinerary for an afternoon on the red dirt shore.

    To stay closer to town, opt for a central hotel to base yourself between exploring and fossicking, like Smart Stayzzz Inn and Clermont Country Motor Inn.

    Things to do in Clermont

    three people on a tour with Golden Prospecting
    Join a tour with Golden Prospecting.

    One does not visit Clermont without trying their hand at fossicking. There are strict rules when it comes to fossicking, so stick to areas dedicated for general permission and make sure you obtain your license beforehand. Try your luck at McMasters, Four Mile, Town Desert, McDonald Flat and Flat Diggings. To increase your odds, sign on for a tour with the expert team at Golden Prospecting. They’ll give you access to exclusive plots and expert advice along the way.

    Once you’ve tried your luck on the gold fields, head to the Clermont Township and Historical Museum. Each exhibit works like an archaeologist’s brush to dust away the layers of Clermont’s history. Like the steam engine that painstakingly relocated the entire town inch by inch to higher ground after it was decimated by flooding in 1916. See the tools that helped build the Blair Athol mine, historic fire engines, shearing sheds and all sorts of relics that make up Clermont’s story.

    The historic Copperfield Chimney offers a change of pace. Legend has it that fossickers found a solid wall of copper here, over three metres high, kick-starting Queensland’s first-ever copper mine.

    Bush Heli Services flying over clermont queensland
    See Clermont from above with Bush Heli Services. (Image: Riptide Creative/ TEQ)

    For hiking, nearby Dysart is the best place to access Peak Range National Park. Here, mountainous horizons stretch across the outback as if plucked from another world. Set off for a scenic drive along the Peak Downs Highway for access to countless geological wonders. Like the slanting rockface of Wolfang Peak. Summit it, and you’ll find yourself looking out across a scene surely conjured up by Banjo Paterson. Dry scrub dancing in the warm breeze, grazing cattle, eucalypts and the gentle creak of windmills. Don’t miss visiting Gemini Peaks, either, for one of the park’s best vistas, and a blanket of wild flowers after rain.

    Then, take to the skies with a scenic helicopter tour with Bush Heli-Services. Shift your perspective and cruise above all the sights from your trip. Spots like Lords Table Mountain and Campbell’s Peak are best viewed from the skies.

    Before you head home, be sure to explore the neighbouring townships. Spend a lazy afternoon in the shade of Nebo Hotel’s wrap-around verandahs. The hotel’s 1900s dance hall has since been replaced with one of the area’s biggest rodeo arenas, so consider timing your trip to line up with a boot scootin’ rodeo. Or, stop by a ghost town. Mount Britton was once a thriving town during the 1880s Gold Rush. It’s been totally abandoned and now lies untouched, a perfect relic of the Gold Rush.

    Best restaurants and cafes in Clermont

    meal at Commercial Hotel
    Stop into the Commercial Hotel Clermont.

    Days spent fossicking, bushwalking and cramming on history call for excellent coffee and hearty country meals. Luckily, Clermont delivers in spades.

    Lotta Lattes Cafe is beloved by locals for a reason. Start your days here for the best caffeine fix in town and an impeccable brunch menu.

    For a real country meal, an icy cold beer and that famed country hospitality, head straight to the town’s iconic hotel: the Commercial Hotel (known endearingly to locals as ‘The Commie’). It’s been a staple in Clermont since 1877. The hotel even survived the flood of 1916 when it was sawn in two and moved to higher ground.

    Naturally, time spent in the outback must include calling into the local bakery. For delicious pies and a tantalising array of sweet treats, make Bluemac Bakehouse your go-to while in town.

    Discover more of The Mackay Isaac region, and start planning your trip at mackayisaac.com.