Best road trips for your summer getaway

What could be better than touring spectacular Australian coastlines and waterways on a summer road trip? From well-mapped routes to a road trip that’s not on a road at all, here’s a handful of great drives with suggested durations to help you plan ahead.

Distance: 210 kilometres
Duration: 1–2 days

If you’re looking for a summer adventure with minimal drive time, you can reach Wilsons Promontory National Park in about three hours – and detour for a meal at one of Mornington’s acclaimed cafes and restaurants. The southernmost tip of Australia, Wilsons Prom is a spectacular camping spot where you can make the most of secluded beaches and beautiful bushland trails. Pack a snorkel and be wowed by colourful sponge gardens and coral reef fish, too.

Distance: 385 kilometres
Duration: 2–3 days

This east coast route along the M1 and Pacific Highway is a summer classic and offers the opportunity to sample some of the best beaches in the state. Depending on whether you’re in the mood for swimming, watersports, tranquil views or sandboarding, stops could include Palm Beach, Terrigal, Caves Beach, Stockton Beach, Anna Bay, Hawks Nest or Seal Rocks. This route also passes numerous National Parks (Ku-ring-gai Chase, Hunter Wetlands, Wallingat, Crowdy Bay) where you can stop for a picnic and some birdwatching. In Port Mac, don’t miss the coastal walk up to Tacking Point Lighthouse, billed as ‘where the forest meets the foam’.

Distance: 380 kilometres
Duration: 4–5 days

Queensland’s ‘Great Beach Drive’ swaps bitumen for sand as you detour down Rainbow Beach Road to the rippled dunes of Rainbow Beach, then take the 75 Mile Beach Road (aka Fraser Island Beach Track) on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) towards laidback Hervey Bay. You’ll need a 4WD and a few vehicle ferries at either end, but the thrill of sand-driving and the unparalleled scenery outweighs the logistics planning involved. The only downside? Working out how to get all that sand out of your car.

Distance: 650 kilometres
Duration: 3–4 days

This coastal route traces St Vincent Gulf up to Port Augusta, and then down along Spencer Gulf to Port Lincoln, known for its cage diving experiences. If you’ve always dreamed of swimming with a shark (or a sea lion), December and January are optimal times, with sightings common through the summer months. But even if under-the-water encounters aren’t on your list, you’ll find lots to see and do along the way: wander the historic town of Melrose (the oldest town in the Flinders Ranges), visit the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden, swim at serene Lucky Bay, drop a fishing line in Cowell, snap some street art in Tumby Bay, marvel at Whyalla wildlife or simply stop and admire the view. If you have time, it’s worth extending this route to visit the Yorke Peninsula’s breathtaking beaches.

Distance: 1250 kilometres
Duration: 7–10 days

Western Australia’s Coral Coast is one of the country’s bucket-list road trips and the section from Perth to Exmouth is packed with some of its most famous attractions. See the otherworldly Pinnacles (ancient limestone pillars in the desert), swim with sea lions in Jurien Bay, explore Shark Bay and the world-famous Hamelin Pool

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, and meet the cheeky Monkey Mia dolphins – while enjoying the friendly coastal towns and unforgettable seafood along the way. Summer is also the perfect time to visit the Abrolhos Islands, described as ‘the Galapagos Islands of the Indian Ocean’ – you can do a day trip via ferry from Geraldton.

Distance: 80 kilometres
Duration: 1 day

Tasmania’s Bruny Island is where rugged nature and gourmet produce meet, and summer is the best time to visit if you like mild temperatures (here, a hot day is 23 degrees Celsius) and freshly picked berries. From Hobart, you’ll need to drive to Kettering to take the vehicle ferry, which takes about 15 minutes and runs frequently. Once on the island, collect some picnic supplies from one of the many producers specialising in oysters, honey, cheese and chocolate, and set off to explore the enchanting wilderness walks and seascapes.

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}