10 road trip wonders to entice you around Australia

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Set off into SA’s rugged red wilderness in search of adventure, swap bitumen for sand on the Sunshine Coast and toast to the freedom of the open road in Victoria’s High Country.

Australia is made for road trips, with endless open roads leading to breathtaking landscapes, quirky attractions and unforgettable experiences. From coastal drives to rugged outback adventures, these 10 road trip wonders showcase the best of the country and offer inspiration for your next journey on the open road.

1. Adelaide to Birdsville (and beyond)

Travelling with: Steve Madgwick

South Australia has some of the country’s most accessible outback but also some of its most fabled. This choose-your-own-adventure, 4WD-only journey begins in earnest in the southern Flinders Ranges. Your options are as wide as your time and budget.

Stop at Ikara/Wilpena Pound for big-payoff hikes. Check out fossils of earliest-known life at Nilpena Ediacara National Park. Side-trip to Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary for a ridgetop sleepout and yellow-footed rock-wallaby spotting. Appreciate the ancient and modern cultures of the Adnyamathanha on an Elder-led tour at Nepabunna.

If you’re truly prepped for the outback, you can explore either the Birdsville or Strzelecki (via Innamincka) tracks northwards, all the way to that mythical outback pub (and beyond).

an aerial view of a 4WD driving along Flinders Ranges
Journey through the Flinders Ranges in a 4WD. (Image: Emilie Ristevski)

2. Great Ocean Road, Vic

Travelling with: Megan Arkinstall

As far as road trips go, Victoria’s Great Ocean Road has earned its icon status. The 240-kilometre stretch that follows the windswept Southern Ocean was built as a utilitarian memorial to First World War servicemen.

the rock stacks at the 12 Apostles
Marvel at the 12 Apostles limestone stacks off the coast of Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Start your road trip in world-renowned surfing mecca Bells Beach, so the ocean is to your left for the best views. Take your time with stops in quaint towns such as Lorne and Apollo Bay. Add in detours to see the lush rainforest and waterfalls of the Otways, before reaching the star attraction, the 12 Apostles.

But don’t stop there: the charming fishing village of Port Fairy and historic Warrnambool on the western Shipwreck Coast are worth the extra kilometres.

an aerial view of the beach by the Great Ocean Road
Wind down the Great Ocean Road for the best views. (Image: Salty Wings)

3. Waterfall Way, NSW

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Waterfall Way provides nature-lovers with a multitude of reasons to celebrate NSW’s Mid North Coast wilderness. The 185-kilometre-long road trip stretches from the New England highlands all the way to the Coffs Coast through rolling farmland and five national parks.

a bird's-eye view of Wollomombi Falls, NSW
Go chase the Wollomombi Falls. (Image: Destination NSW)

You’ll find nature doing her thing everywhere from the well-known Wollomombi Falls, the highest in NSW, to scenic Ebor Falls, which cascades over tiered columns of granite into a rugged gorge.

The more secluded Tristania Falls in Dorrigo National Park is another waterfall worth chasing.

the Wollomombi Falls in NSW
Wollomombi Falls is the highest waterfall in NSW. (Image: Destination NSW)

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4. Silo Art Trail, Vic

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Australia’s largest outdoor gallery bounces between silo towers in Brim all the way to Horsham in the Grampians/Gariwerd (itself prime road trip country). The scale of the structures alone makes the Silo Art Trail one of Victoria’s iconic attractions.

The murals provide visitors with a window into the Wimmera Mallee region. Driving from Melbourne, the trail starts in Rupanyup where Russian mural artist Julia Volchkova depicts youth culture in rural Victoria in a stunning artwork that wraps around the curved walls of concrete.

the youth mural of Julia Volchkova in rural Victoria
Russian mural artist Julia Volchkova depicts youth culture in rural Victoria. (Image: Anne Preston)

5. Great Beach Drive, Qld

Travelling with: Steve Madgwick

The Great Beach Drive is the Promised Sand for 4WDers, from novices to know-it-alls. The 380-kilometre (off)road trip starts north of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

the burnt orange sand cliffs near Rainbow Beach
Count the hues of hyper-coloured sand cliffs near Rainbow Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Deflate your tyres and hum along 60km/h sections of Teewah Beach’s hard sand. Count the hues of hyper-coloured sand cliffs near Rainbow Beach. Stay a day or two to drink in Rainbow’s small-town lack-of-attitude and check out Carlo Sandblow. Summon all your 4WDing aptitude to negotiate Inskip Point’s narrow finger of land while boarding the K’gari-bound ferry.

Then explore this extraordinary island for as long as your annual leave allows, before ferrying over to Hervey Bay (two hours tarmac drive back to Noosa). Check tides, ferry times and permits at the Great Sandy Information Centre in Tewantin.

a couple walking on Carlo Sandblow
Walk barefoot on the 15-hectare Carlo Sandblow. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

6. Prosecco Road, Vic

Travelling with: Jo Stewart

Fans of drinking Australian fizz would be familiar with the King Valley, the country’s home of prosecco.

two females wine tasting at Dal Zotto wines on Prosecco Road
Sample Dal Zotto wines on Prosecco Road. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Many of the nation’s most renowned and productive prosecco producers – including Brown Brothers, Dal Zotto and Pizzini Wines – are linked by a picturesque stretch known as ‘Prosecco Road’.

Use your car or hire an e-bike to experience tastings, pairing masterclasses, long lunches or even yoga in the vines in this welcoming corner of Victoria’s High Country, where you’ll be bowled over by cracking-good sparkling wines and old-fashioned Australian hospitality.

the winery exterior of Pizzini Wines
The family-owned Pizzini Wines specialises in Italian wines. (Image: Tourism Australia)

7. Cairns to Cape York, Qld

Travelling with: Katie Carlin

Bounce along red-dirt tracks to meet creek crossings guarded by waiting crocodiles. Spot termite mounds the size of trees. Swim under thundering waterfalls. Tuck into a meal at a roadhouse. Embrace a station stay. And experience the merging of two First Nations cultures on Country en route to the northernmost point of the Australian continent – Pajinka.

The route is more than 1400 kilometres from Cairns to Cape York via Cooktown, but the journey is unlike anything else in Australia.

a 4WD driving along Cape York Peninsula, Qld
Drive the red dirt tracks of the Cape York Peninsula. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

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8. Tassie’s Tasting Trail

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

The North East and North West regions of Tasmania are gearing up to be some of Australia’s top gourmet destinations. Tailor an itinerary to your taste using the interactive maps and itineraries for the area’s self-guided Tasting Trail, which starts outside Launceston and stops in Smithton.

a close-up of a hand full of green grains at Seven Sheds, Tasmania
Seven Sheds harvest fresh green grains for brewing. (Image: Ness Vanderburgh)

All up, there are more than 50 makers dotted along the trail producing everything from artisan cheeses to chocolate, olives, honey, beer, wine and cider.

the Truffle Farm in Tasmania
Go truffle hunting at The Truffle Farm Tasmania. (Image: Ness Vanderburgh)

9. Savannah Way

Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes

Scrubby trees give way to Australia’s iconic red soil, signalling a change from the dense bushland of coastal north Queensland to the rolling hills and dramatic gorges of the outback.

a bird's-eye view of the Burketown River
Burketown River snakes through the Savannah Way. (Image: Tourism Australia)

This is the Savannah Way, a 3700-kilometre stretch of road from Cairns to Broome. While not as well known as other iconic Aussie road trips, it boasts more stops of natural beauty and significance than most.

See the world’s longest lava tube system, paddle Cobbold Gorge, enjoy incredible views of Nitmiluk Gorge, stargaze in Burketown and end your trip watching the sky change colour at sunset over Broome’s Cable Beach.

an aerial view of Nitmiluk Gorge, NT
Enjoy incredible views of Nitmiluk Gorge. (Image: Sean Scott)

10. Gibb River Road, WA

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

Far from the humdrum of the highway, the 660-kilometre Gibb River Road beckons as one of Australia’s great four-wheel-drive routes.

Start creating your #roadtripping playlist, as joining the dots between Derby and Kununurra through the captivating Kimberley wilderness can take up to three weeks to complete.

driving the Gibb River Road
Take your four-wheel drive to the next level on Gibb River Road. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

The ragged ribbon of mostly unsealed road is one small section of the Savannah Way, which crosses the country from the north of WA to Queensland.

Time your outback odyssey with wildflower season when bursts of colour are knitted to the earth.

the Gibb River Road in WA
Go road tripping on the iconic Gibb River Road. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)
Keep reading our 100 Australian Wonders series; from road trips, outback and cultural wonders to foodie wonders and many more.

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Farm fresh produce to a trail of lights: the ultimate guide to Mildura

    Rachel Lay Rachel Lay
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    The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

    From the moment you arrive in Mildura, the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

    Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura.
    Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

    Taste Mildura’s produce

    It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

    Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey. Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

    Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers, a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

    Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

    Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

    Hatted dining & Italian history

    Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

    To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s. Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

    Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel.
    Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

    Discover a thriving culture scene

    The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

    The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

    Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project. Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

    Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

    Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery.
    Find culture around every corner.

    Wonder at ancient landscapes

    The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

    The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

    Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

    Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park. Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

    Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity.
    Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

    Meet your home away from home

    On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

    Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama. A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

    When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats. Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

    A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura.
    Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

    Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com.