Long straight road through Australian outback landscape

People’s Choice Australia Travel Guide — Itineraries

Road Trips, Coastal Drives & Outback Adventures

Informational resource only: People’s Choice Travel Guide is an independent educational travel guide. We do not take bookings, provide financial advice, or represent any tourism board or government organisation.

Travel Recommendations Australia: Complete Itineraries

These itineraries connect the best places to visit Australia into manageable journeys. Each route is built from real experiences and designed for independent travellers who want scenery, flexibility, and a sense of adventure.

Coastal highway between Sydney and Brisbane with ocean views
7 Days · Coastal Drive

Sydney to Brisbane Coastal Drive

This is one of Australia’s great coastal road trips, linking two of the country’s biggest cities through a chain of beaches, national parks, and laid-back towns. You can cover it in a straight 10-hour run, but that would miss the point. Slow down, surf at Byron Bay, walk through the rainforest at Dorrigo, and search for koalas on the north coast.

Sydney Newcastle Byron Bay Gold Coast Brisbane

Day 1

Sydney to Newcastle. Break at Terrigal or the Central Coast.

Day 2

Newcastle to Port Macquarie. Beaches, coastal walks, and cafés.

Day 3

Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour. Big Banana and surf culture.

Day 4

Coffs Harbour to Byron Bay via Yamba and Angourie.

Day 5

Byron Bay. Lighthouse walk, beaches, and hinterland villages.

Day 6

Byron Bay to Gold Coast. Surf at Burleigh, explore the hinterland.

Day 7

Gold Coast to Brisbane. Finish in Queensland’s river capital.

Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road
5 Days · Great Ocean Road

Melbourne to Adelaide via Great Ocean Road

This itinerary combines city culture with one of the world’s most famous coastal drives. Leave Melbourne’s laneways behind and head west through the Otway rainforest, past the Twelve Apostles, and across the border into South Australia. It is a journey of beaches, limestone formations, wine, and quiet coastal towns.

Melbourne Torquay Apollo Bay Warrnambool Adelaide

Day 1

Melbourne to Torquay. Bells Beach and surf coast introduction.

Day 2

Torquay to Apollo Bay. Rainforest, koalas, and clifftop views.

Day 3

Apollo Bay to Warrnambool. Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, and London Bridge.

Day 4

Warrnambool to Mount Gambier. Whale watching, Blue Lake, and caves.

Day 5

Mount Gambier to Adelaide. Coonawarra wine and South Australian capital.

Remote track through Cape York tropical wilderness
10 Days · Adventure

Cairns to Cape York

This is the ultimate northern adventure. It takes you from the tropical city of Cairns through the Daintree Rainforest, across the Cape York Peninsula, and finally to the northern tip of Australia. A four-wheel-drive is essential, and the remote communities, river crossings, and ancient landscapes make it unforgettable.

Cairns Daintree Cooktown Weipa Tip of Australia

Day 1

Cairns to Cape Tribulation. Reef and rainforest meet here.

Day 2

Cape Tribulation to Cooktown. Daintree River and Bloomfield Track.

Day 3

Explore Cooktown. Historic town, James Cook history, and local culture.

Days 4–6

Cooktown to Weipa. Remote tracks, river crossings, and Aboriginal communities.

Days 7–8

Weipa to Bamaga. Mining town, red dirt, and Cape York communities.

Days 9–10

Reach the Tip. Stand at the northernmost point of Australia.

Long road through red desert landscape of Western Australia
8 Days · West Coast Road Trip

Perth to Exmouth

This is the best way to understand the scale of Western Australia. The coast north of Perth is long, wild, and extraordinarily beautiful. You will pass pink lakes, wildflower fields, Kalbarri’s gorges, Shark Bay, and finally reach Ningaloo Reef and the Exmouth Gulf. It is a road trip built for snorkellers, campers, and sunset watchers.

Perth Geraldton Kalbarri Shark Bay Exmouth

Day 1

Perth to Geraldton. Wildflowers and the Pinnacles Desert.

Day 2

Geraldton to Kalbarri. Coastal cliffs and national park gorges.

Day 3

Kalbarri to Monkey Mia. Dolphins, shells, and Shark Bay world heritage.

Day 4

Monkey Mia to Carnarvon. Blowholes, beaches, and remote roadhouses.

Day 5

Carnarvon to Coral Bay. Ningaloo Reef begins here.

Day 6

Coral Bay. Snorkel straight from the beach.

Day 7

Coral Bay to Exmouth. Cape Range gorges and Vlamingh Head.

Day 8

Exmouth. Whale sharks, Turquoise Bay, and the end of the road.

Tasmanian road winding through green mountains and forest
5 Days · Tasmania Loop

Hobart to Launceston Loop

Tasmania is small enough to explore in a few days, but rich enough to reward a lifetime. This loop takes you from Hobart’s food and culture to the Tasman Peninsula, across to the east coast, and inland to Launceston. You will see convict history, wild coastline, perfect beaches, and a food scene that punches far above its weight.

Hobart Port Arthur Freycinet Bay of Fires Launceston

Day 1

Hobart. MONA, waterfront, and Battery Point.

Day 2

Hobart to Tasman Peninsula. Convict history and dramatic cliffs.

Day 3

Tasman Peninsula to Freycinet. Wineglass Bay and pink granite.

Day 4

Freycinet to Bay of Fires. White beaches and orange rocks.

Day 5

Bay of Fires to Launceston. Cataract Gorge and northern Tasmania.

Red dirt road leading toward Uluru in the outback
4 Days · Red Centre Explorer

Uluru to Alice Springs

The Red Centre is a place of silence, scale, and deep cultural meaning. This four-day journey takes you from the awe of Uluru through the dramatic walls of Kings Canyon and back to the outback town of Alice Springs. It is a route that works in any season, though early mornings and late afternoons are the most comfortable and beautiful.

Uluru Kata Tjuta Kings Canyon Alice Springs

Day 1

Arrive at Uluru. Sunset at the rock and the Field of Light.

Day 2

Uluru sunrise and Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds walk.

Day 3

Kings Canyon rim walk. Red cliffs, palm gorge, and ancient silence.

Day 4

Kings Canyon to Alice Springs. Outback town, art galleries, and farewell.