Road Trips from Sydney

13 Road Trips from Sydney

East Coast Road Trip Itineraries
The East Coast Road Trip actually consists of several smaller road trips joined together and they're all listed below. From Sydney you can travel north via Byron Bay to Brisbane (1,050 km over 5 - 9 days), keep going to Airlie Beach – the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands (a total of 2,170 km over 13 - 21 days), and on to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef (a total of 3,050 km over 21 - 26 days)  or you can travel south to Melbourne (1200 km over 5 - 10 days). These segments are listed below. Scroll down to find a map of these road trips.

1. The Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive
   1200 km | 5 - 10 days
   Enjoy daily swims in the ocean, sweeping sandy beaches, kangaroos, seals, whale watching, dolphins, beach camps, fishing, surfing, and a relaxed barefoot lifestyle. Highlights include the Royal National Park near Sydney, Sea Cliff Bridge, Nan Tien Buddhist Temple, the Pigeon House mountain summit climb, fresh oysters, local cheese, wild seals, Booderee National Park, Murramarang National Park, Mogo Zoo, Gippsland Lakes, Wilsons Promontory, Mornington Peninsula and the penguins of Phillip Island.
   
   
   Sea Cliff Bridge south of Sydeny
   
   
2. The Sydney to Melbourne Coast & Alpine Drive
   1,450 km | 5 - 10 days
   Climb mountains, taste cool climate wines, experience the culture, excellent museums and year round festivities of Australia's capital city Canberra. Eat local produce straight from the orchards, walk among spring blossoms or the changing colours of autumn. This route rejoins the coast in Victoria. Highlights include the Royal National Park near Sydney, Canberra and its museums, Kosciuszko National Park with its mountains and majestic snow gums, the Alpine towns of Bright and Beechworth, Mount Beauty, the Alpine wine region, Mount Buffalo National Park, Gippsland Lakes, Wilsons Promontory, Mornington Peninsula and the penguins of Phillip Island.
   
   
   Porcupine Rocks, Snowy Mountains.
   
   
3. The Sydney to Brisbane Drive
   

   1,050 km | 5 - 9 days
   The coastal drive between Brisbane and Sydney is a magical place of lush river valleys, seaside towns, dramatic coastlines, wide sweeping beaches and the ever-present Pacific Ocean. Highlights include Myall Lakes, the misty rainforests of Dorrigo National Park, the picturesque valley of Bellingen, Hat Head National Park, Nambucca Heads, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, Nimbin, the Mount Warning summit climb, and the Gold Coast.
   
   
   Port Stephens. The Sydney to Brisbane Drive.

4. The Sydney to Airlie Beach Drive
   Sydney to Brisbane | Brisbane to Airlie Beach
   2,170 km | 13 - 21 days
   Highlights include Myall Lakes, the ancient rainforests of Dorrigo National Park, the pretty valley of Bellingen, Hat Head National Park, Nambucca Heads, Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay, the hippie town of Nimbin, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Noosa Heads, the Great Sandy National Park, UNESCO World Heritage listed Fraser Island, Hervey Bay whale watching, Agnes Water, Lady Musgrave Island and Capricorn Caves.
   
   
   Fraser Island between Brisbane and Airlie Beach. Photo: explorer tours 
   
   
5. The Sydney to Townsville Drive
   Sydney to Brisbane | Brisbane to Airlie Beach | Airlie to Townsville
   3,000 km | 14 - 22 days
   Continuing on from the Sydney to Airlie Beach drive and all its highlights listed above (road trip #4), the road takes you through green fields of sugar cane for a swim at Bowen's Horseshoe Bay and a walk through massive granite boulders to a lookout. From here the road winds through green fields of sugar cane before arriving at Townsville.
   
   
6. The Sydney to Cairns Drive
   3,050 km | 21 - 26 days 
   In addition to the highlights listed on road trips #4 and #5,  the Sydney to Cairns drive includes Babinda Boulders, Josephine falls, The Pyramid summit climb, Paronella Park, Mission Beach, Hinchinbrook Island, and empty palm-fringed beaches and national parks in which to camp.
   
   
   Paronella Park between Townsville and Cairns.
   
   
7. Sydney to Adelaide - Outback or Mountains
   1,500 - 2,200 km | 4 - 8 days
   There are three routes to choose from when driving from Sydney to Adelaide: The Hay Plains route (1,500 km in 4 days) , which is the most direct route, through wide open plains, Canberra and the Murray River; the Mount Kosciuszko National Park route (1,700 km in 6 days) through stunning mountains, Canberra and the Murray River; and the Broken Hill Outback route (2,200 km in 8 days), through the Blue Mountains and the outback. Highlights include the Blue Mountains, the artsy little town of Hill End, the historic rural towns of Orange and Parkes, Dubbo Zoo, Menindee Lakes in Kimchega National Park, Munga National Park, Mildura and the historic paddle steamers of the Murray River, and the Barossa Valley Wine Region.
   
   
   Outback sculpture park near Broken Hill
   
   
8. Sydney to Adelaide Coastal Drive
   Sydney to Melbourne | Melbourne to Adelaide
   2,700 km | 15 - 25 days
   Highlights include the famous Sea Cliff Bridge, the enormous Nan Tien buddhist temple, the beautiful beaches of the south coast, Pigeon House mountain summit climb, Booderee National Park, Murramarang National Park, Mogo Zoo, wild seals at Narooma, Tilba Tilba cheese region, Gippsland Lakes, Wilsons Prom, the penguins of Phillip Island, the Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Otways National Park, Kangaroo Island with its koalas and prolific wildlife, the Fleurieu Peninsula, McLaren Vale wine region and Adelaide.
   
   
   Penguins of Phillip Island between Sydney and Melbourne.
   
   
9. Sydney - Melbourne - Adelaide - Perth - Darwin - Cairns
   Sydney to Melbourne | Melbourne to Adelaide | Adelaide to Perth | Perth to Broome | Broome to Darwin | Darwin to Cairns
   14,760 km | 75 - 90 days
   Continuing on from the Sydney to Adelaide coastal drive and all its highlights listed above (road trip #8) keep hugging the coastline into the less populated regions of Australia through stunning national parks, across the Nullarbor Plain to Western Australia, the Esperance, Fitzgerald River National Park, Pemberton forests and tree climbs, Margaret River, Perth, the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, carpets of wildflowers, Coral Bay and Ningaloo Reef, swimming with human-friendly whale sharks, Broome and across the Kimberley to Darwin, Mataranka hot springs, Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park, Devils Marbles, Karumba, Undara Lava Tubes, Atherton Tablelands and the waterfall circuit to Cairns, Port Douglas and the Daintree Rainforest. For this trip it is more economical to take advantage of our campervan buy back deal.  
   
   
   Swimming with whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef
   
   
10. Sydney - Brisbane - Airlie Beach - Cairns - Darwin - Uluru - Adelaide
    Sydney to Cairns | Cairns to Darwin | Darwin to Adelaide
    10,000 km | 29 - 34 days
    Continuing on from the east coast Sydney to Cairns drive with all its highlights (road trip #7) head west to Atherton Tablelands and the waterfall circuit to Undara Lava tubes, Karumba, Devils Marbles, Mataranka hot springs, Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park, Darwin, Uluru and the Olgas, Coober Pedy underground opal mining town and Adelaide. For this trip it is more economical to take advantage of our campervan buy back deal.  
    
    
    Uluru
    
    
11. Sydney - Melbourne - Adelaide - Uluru - Darwin - Cairns
    Sydney to Melbourne | Melbourne to Adelaide | Adelaide to Darwin | Darwin to Cairns 
    9,720 km | 42 - 52 days
    Continuing on from the Sydney to Adelaide coast drive with its many highlights (road trip #8), head north through Coober Pedy underground outback town to Uluru and the Olgas, the MacDonnell Ranges, Devils Marbles, Darwin, Mataranka Hot Springs,  Litchfield National Park, Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park, Karumba, Undara Lava tubes, Atherton Tablelands and the waterfall circuit to Cairns. For this trip it is more economical to take advantage of our campervan buy back deal.  

Road Trip Around Australia

1. The Circumnavigation from Sydney
   17,600 km | 3 months or more
   Explore most of Australia on this Epic Road Trip around Australia. The only part you cut out is the central Australian desert. 
   ROUTE: Sydney to Melbourne coastal or mountain drive |  Melbourne to Adelaide | Adelaide to Perth | Perth to Broome | Broome to Darwin | Darwin to Cairns | Cairns - Townsville | Townsville - Airlie Beach | Airlie Beach - Brisbane | Brisbane - Sydney
   
   
   
2. The double loop from Sydney
   19,900 km | 3 months or more 
   Explore the whole of Australia including Uluru and the Olgas in central Australia. If you wish to include these we suggest this alternate 'double loop' route. The map below links to each segment of the road trip. 
   ROUTE: Sydney to Melbourne coastal or mountain drive | Melbourne to Adelaide | Adelaide to Perth | Perth to Broome | Broome to Darwin |  Darwin to Adelaide | Adelaide across the outback to Sydney | Sydney to Cairns
   
   
   

Australian Road Trip Planner

Use this map to plan your own road trip of Australia.