Travel in our own backyard

With international travel being put on hold for most of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Australians will have to look within their own borders to satisfy their travel needs.

The good news is, there’s a lot to explore!

From the Blue Mountains to the Red Centre, the Great Barrier Reef to the Great Ocean Road, Australia has a lot to offer. Whether you’re into sightseeing, hiking, shopping, meeting the wildlife, snorkelling, tasting local produce, camping, horse (or camel) riding, sampling craft beer and award-winning wines, swimming at our endless beaches, or just enjoying a quiet time away from the rat-race, there truly is something for everyone.

Nothing like the open road

While air travel is the most convenient for travelling the length and breadth of our vast country, nothing beats driving if you have time to kill. Whether towing a caravan or travelling from hotel to hotel in your car, driving around Australia is the only way to fully appreciate the beauty, harshness, and sheer scale of this truly unique country.

So, where do you start? That depends on how much time you have…

The following roadtrips will take you around 1-week, 2-weeks and 1-month to complete:

1 week – The Great Ocean Road

From start to finish, this would only take around 10 hours to drive non-stop. But there are plenty of good reasons to take your time when travelling the 664km of one of Australia's most scenic drives. Setting out from the Victorian surf capital of Torquay, this relatively easy drive will take you along towering cliff-tops, through lush rainforests, and past some of the country’s most iconic surfing beaches before arriving at the historic fishing village of Port Fairy. There are plenty of places to stay along the way, and great local food and produce to indulge in. Go whale-spotting, play a few rounds of golf, and don’t forget to check out the world-famous 12 Apostles!

Also check out: The Red Centre Way

2 weeks – The Coral Coast

The desert meets the sea on this stunning route along Australia’s western coast. Setting out from Perth, travelling 1250km north to Exmouth would normally take around 13 hours of driving. But setting a more leisurely pace is definitely worth it, giving you plenty of time to explore some of the most stunning locations in Australia. Check out the Pinnacles at Nambung National Park, walk through fields of wildflowers at Kalbarri, watch dolphins playing at Monkey Mia and – only for the brave – swim with whale sharks at Coral Bay.

1 month - The East Coast

Travelling the east coast of Australia, from Melbourne to Cape Tribulation in far-north Queensland, could easily take more than 4 weeks of non-stop driving. The 4,000km from Melbourne to Cairns would take around 50 hours of non-stop driving, but why rush when there’s so much to see and do along the way? You could spend weeks exploring Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on their own, but once outside of the state capitals, take your time exploring the beaches of the south and central coasts of NSW, then on to Byron Bay and the Gold Coast. Beyond Brisbane, you’ll find Noosa and Fraser Island, with Airlie Beach, Magnetic Beach, Cairns and Cape Tribulation awaiting your arrival.

Also check out: The Savannah Way (Cairns to Broome)

As captured in Dorothea Mackellar’s famous love letter to Australia, the amazing country we call home is equally full of danger as breathtaking beauty, so there are a few things you need to consider before starting out on your epic roadtrip:

• Australia is one of the driest places on the planet, so always carry plenty of water.
• In the more remote parts of the country, you can easily travel hundreds of kilometres without seeing another soul. If you break down, it could take a while before help comes along, so it’s always a good idea to pack extra food as well.
• Late afternoon and early in the morning is when the kangaroos and wallabies most active. Plan to end your drives by mid-afternoon – or don’t start until the sun is up – and you’ll minimise the danger of hitting our beloved wildlife.
• It’s no joke that most things in Australia want to kill you, so while you’re out exploring the countryside, be cautious when looking under rocks or stepping over fallen logs. And if you don’t know what a particular critter or plant is, don’t touch it!