The 6 Most Scenic Road Trips in Australia

Australia is a huge country that’s jam packed full of beautiful scenic drives from coastline and rainforests to the outback and the bush. There truly are countless options when it comes to chasing breathtaking views and epic road trips so it was pretty difficult to decide on our favourites but we’ve managed to narrow it down to our top 6. Read on to find out what they are and learn more about our top recommendations along each route:

Grand Pacific Drive & Sea Cliff Bridge, NSW

Grand Pacific Drive is a 140km drive that starts just south of Sydney and ends in Jervis Bay.  This road hugs the stunning NSW coast and guarantees some seriously impressive views. On this scenic route you’ll drive through charming townships, luscious rainforest and beautiful coastal cities. Even though this isn’t a long scenic drive, we still recommend allowing a few days for this trip so that you really get the chance to soak up the beautiful scenery. The Seacliff Bridge (pictured above) is a real highlight of this drive and we also recommend that you spend some time exploring The Sapphire Coast, Wollongong, Shoalhaven and of course, Jervis Bay. Also, if you’re keen to catch a wave along the coast, be sure to stop into Stanwell Park just 5km north of Seacliff Bridge.

Coastal Way, Yorke Peninsula, SA

The Coastal Way in South Australia provides the perfect scenic road trip for travellers who want see some seriously impressive beaches. With 700kms of coastline, you’ll be constantly astounded by the beauty of South Australia flying past the windows of your RV. Although, of course we recommend making plenty of stops too. Walk the Yorke is a 500km trail around the coastline and while we suspect you won’t have the time (or stamina) to do the whole thing, we definitely recommend picking a section where you can do a bit of a hike. While you can’t go wrong with any of the beaches on this road trip, Shell Beach and Berry Bay are two of our favourites! 

The Red Centre Way, NT

Discover the Red Centre on this iconic outback road trip and immerse yourself in the spiritual centre of Australia during a visit to Uluru. You haven’t truly experienced Australia until you’ve witnessed, first hand, the vast and rugged expanses of the outback alongside mother nature’s many hues of red and orange that are on display throughout this scenic road trip. Just be sure to take plenty of supplies and water with you! 

The Great Barrier Reef Drive, QLD

The Great Barrier Reef Drive is a 140km stretch from Cairns to Cape Tribulation in North Queensland, and trust us when we say this is a truly beautiful scenic drive. While this route doesn’t cover a large distance, there are so many opportunities for fun filled activities and breathtaking stops so don’t rush this one. This road trip is especially unique because it’s bordered by the Great Barrier Reef AND the Daintree Rainforest, both of which are world heritage listed sites. We also recommend exploring Mossman Gorge, Cape Tribulation and of course, you have to go snorkelling or scuba diving at the reef.

Source: QLD Tourism

The Great Ocean Road, VIC

The Great Ocean Road is one of the most well-known drives in Australia and it’s not difficult to understand why. Stretching across more than 660 km of coastline, this drive offers some magnificent views and really shows off the beauty of Victoria. Stopping off to see the 12 Apostles is a ‘must do’ on this road trip but we also highly recommend stopping at Logan’s Beach and Airey’s Inlet to soak up the sun and relax on the beach, or you can even catch a world surf competition at Bell’s Beach. Alternatively, if you prefer to avoid the tourist crowds visit Otway National Park and Campbell Beach. 

Great Eastern Drive, TAS

This 300km road trip stretches from Hobart to the Bay of Fires and truly gives you the chance to take in the landscape of Tasmania as you drive through white sand covered coastline, national parks and lush rainforests. We recommend taking 5-7 days for this drive so that you really get the chance to enjoy all that Tasmania has to offer. One of our favourite stops along the Great Eastern Drive is Wineglass Bay, and if you enjoy hiking you can even tackle the stunning 11km loop around the mountain ranges and down to the beach.

At Adria, it’s our mission to inspire adventure. An Adria isn’t just an RV- it’s a lifestyle built around adventure and a passion to explore our beautiful country. To find out more about our campervans, caravans and motorhomes, or if you have a question for the Adria team, get in touch with us today!