Making a road trip around Australia is the ultimate adventure down under. From the white sandy beaches in Western Australia to the lush green rainforest in Queensland. This amazing and beautiful country surprised me in every corner and it has something to offer for everyone,
In January 2020, I started my adventure in Perth Western Australia, where I bought my 4x4 and prepared it for a road trip around Australia. In this article, I will share some tips for driving around Australia, where to stay, and my own experience of the last 2 years in every state.
READ ALSO: From Darwin to Uluru: the best Northern Territory road trip in 3 weeksMany people enjoy going on a road trip during their vacation. Travel by car and explore the most beautiful parts of your destination at your comfort.
In 2020 I traveled to Australia where I fulfilled a dream and completed one of the most adventurous road trips in the world, the big lap around Australia! For a year, I was going to travel across Australia in my 4x4 or camper to see as many beautiful places as possible in each state.
READ ALSO: From Darwin to Uluru: the best Northern Territory road trip in 3 weeks
How long does it take to drive around Australia?
It is completely up to you how long you want to drive around Australia and which places you want to see. You can make a road trip around Australia in 6 months or in 12 months but that all depends on your personal situation.
If you have only 3 months, I wouldn't recommend making a lap around Australia but rather exploring one or two states. You can spend 3 months in Western Australia and still haven't seen everything you want as it is so big.
My plan was to travel around Australia in 12 months and work in between but due to Covid in 2020-2021, I extended my initial plan of 12 months and I completed my lap around Australia in 26 months.
How much does it cost to drive around Australia?
An exact number is difficult as it would be different for every situation. For example, fuel prices in Perth were about AU$ 1,26/L in 2020 and AU$ 1,91/L in 2022.
The cost of your trip depends also on many factors like the length of your trip, the activities you plan to do and where you like to stay. It is a good idea to make a list of activities and places you want to see or do and make an estimated cost of these things. Do the same with places you want to stay.
For my first year driving around Australia, I stayed in caravan parks and did some amazing experiences such as an Orca tour in Bremer Bay, snorkelling with Manta Rays in Coral Bay and a sailing trip around the Whit Sundays.
During my second year, I spend less money on caravan parks and did more free campsites or bush camps in National Parks but I spend more money on activities like wine tastings in Victoria and Western Australia, a helicopter flight in Uluru, and more budget went to fuel as the prices are going up drastically.
The average daily budget for my road trip around Australia was in 2020, AU$ 72/person, while in 2021, I spent an average of AU$ 78/person.
Best Time to make a road trip around Australia?
Any time of the year is a good time to make a road trip around Australia but it depends on where you want to start your trip. Assuming that you don't want to travel in the cyclone season in the North or during wintertime in the South, I made this useful map.
Where to stay when you travel around Australia?
Camping is very common in Australia and the locals even like it, so it is very easy to drive around Australia and camp. There are bush camps, caravan parks, hostels, motels, hotels and resorts all over Australia, so there is something for every type of traveller.
However, I made my road trip around Australia in my converted 4x4 and I loved it to sleep on remote bush camps, beach campings or caravan parks when I needed a shower or a bit more luxury.
Most backpackers, who travel by bus or public transport stay in hostels to meet other people, while the families with kids opt for a resort with a pool and facilities for the kids.
The campground is another option offering sites for caravans, campervans, motor homes, and camper trailers. It provides a wide range of services including barbecues, self-service laundry, a swimming pool, and a playground.
If you’re looking for a perfect place to camp for the night, head to the Ayers rock campground to get the ultimate Uluru experience.
Prices are AU$ 40 per night
This luxurious 4.5-star hotel has 218 rooms featuring the amazing flora which is unique to the Central Australian desert. It offers a wide range of accommodation options from poolside rooms to lavish rock-view rooms and a restaurant where you can enjoy some delicious Australian cuisine.
Prices are AU$ 380 per night
What can you expect from a road trip around Australia?
A lot of driving as distances are huge but it is it all worth! Expect to see some of the most beautiful beaches in Western Australia, fascinating wildlife and stunning landscapes in the Northern Territory, while you can wander around the rainforest in Queensland and the amazing waterfalls in Victoria
A good piece of advice is to not expect too much but to enjoy every day of your trip. You will face unexpected challenges but that are the things that will make your trip unique.
Due to covid, I got stuck in Victoria for 2 months, but I used this time to explore more places in this state, while in New South Wales, I regret, that I didn't spend more time in Sydney.
My road trip around Australia
As I said earlier in this article, my journey started with a road trip in Western Australia after I converted my 4x4 and what was supposed to be a trip of one year around Australia ended up in a 28 months adventure.
I drove in the summer of 2020 from Western Australia to the Northern Territory in winter and crossed the borders to Queensland in spring. By the end of the summer of '21, I started travelling to Sydney and got stuck in Melbourne during winter due to Covid.
Once the borders restrictions got eased from Victoria to South Australia, I started travelling again and I had to cross Australia to the Northern Territory as Western Australia was still closed due to Covid.
I spent a few weeks at the end of winter '21 in the Northern Territory and crossed finally the borders to Western Australia again. Since September '21, I was travelling and working again in Western Australia and in the last days of my adventure in Australia, I sold my 4x4 and flew to the Gold Coast to explore a bit more of Queensland with a camper van.
From Perth to Esperance
After I bought and converted my 4x4, I did a 'test' drive from Perth to Esperance in 3 weeks to get to know my car and its limits. It was an amazing trip with stunning views and epic beaches such as Lucky Bay and Twilight Beach.
However, Covid started while I was on this trip and Australia went into lockdown, so I decided to find some work until the situation was better for travelling. From March to July, I worked on a farm and saved some extra money for the next adventure.
From Perth to Broome
A road trip from Perth to Broome is probably the most epic road trip in Australia as you will discover amazing beaches, stunning gorges and national Parks and end up with a beer watching the sunset at Cable Beach in Broome.
After I finished the work at the farm, I drove to Broome along the Coral Coast and stopped at some beautiful places such as The Pinnacles, Coral Bay, Exmouth and Karijini National Park. These were absolutely the highlights of this trip.
The Kimberleys
The Kimberleys is a remote area in the North of Western Australia and is known for its rough, rocky and dramatic landscapes but also for the stunning waterfalls, the wildlife and the amazing beaches.
My adventure in the Kimberleys started from Broome, where I explored the Dampier Peninsula first before I headed towards Kununurra. Along the way were many incredible sights such as the Windjana Gorge, Bungle Bungle National Park and Lake Argyle.
From Darwin to Uluru
It took a while but in September 2020, Western Australia opened its borders to the Northern Territory and I could finally explore another State in Australia.
Another amazing adventure with highlights such as Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Uluru and the West McDonnell Ranges this was one of my favourite road trips in Australia.
I explored the Northern Territory for only 2 weeks as it became already hot and humid at that time of the year so I decided to continue to Queensland.
From Cairns to Brisbane
From Uluru straight through the outback of Queensland to Cairns, where I met a friend and explored the Daintree rainforest with. Due to heavy rains, I didn't stay long in Cairns but drove to the Atherton Tablelands to explore the waterfalls in their full glory.
Cruising along the coastline of Queensland and discovering places like Magnetic Island, The Whitsundays and The Keppel Islands was just out of this world, while an adventure on Fraser Island was the cherry on the cake.
From Byron Bay to Sydney
I worked for almost 5 months in Queensland near Brisbane and decided in February '21 to make a new road trip from Byron Bay to Sydney. On this trip, I met Nao and together we explored some amazing places in New South Wales.
Exploring waterfalls in the Dorito National Park, hiking in the Blue Mountains and sunsets at the Sydney Opera House were our favourite things. However, the rainfall kept going and flood warnings were all over the state, so I decided to continue this road trip to Melbourne.
From Melbourne to Adelaide
Exploring Melbourne in the wet season is a different experience but the best time of the year if you want to see the waterfalls in their full glory. I spend almost 4 months in this state due to Covid but I tried to see as much as I could.
The mountains of Mount Buffalo, the vibrant city of Melbourne, the stunning views in the Grampians and the most beautiful scenic drive, the Great Ocean Road.
From Adelaide to Darwin
The plan was to cross the border from South Australia back into Western Australia and finish the lap around Australia but unfortunately, Covid had other plans. Western Australia kept its borders closed from South Australia but opened its borders in the Northern Territory.
A detour of more than 3000km and straight through the middle of Australia to get into Western Australia didn't scare me off as I already had done a part of this beautiful trip.
After a few days in Adelaide, I drove up to Darwin and stopped at some amazing places like Lake Bumbunga, Lake Hart and Coober Pedy before I hit the border of the Northern Territory.
South Australia is the state where I spend the least of my time as the weather was horrible and it was freezing cold but I know there are so many more beautiful places around here that I will come back for sure.
In the NT, I went back to Uluru and damn, I love this place! hiking and exploring in the Red Centre is one of my favourite things in Australia. This time, I explored the East McDonnell Ranges and I stopped at Daly Waters for a proper beer along the way before getting into Kakadu National Park.
From Darwin to Perth
In Darwin, I used the time to relax and enjoy some warm weather after a few months in the south during winter but it was time to continue to Western Australia.
I made up for myself that Perth will be the end destination of my road trip around Australia and I will go back to Belgium for Christmas but again. Covid changed the plans. More cases came into the country and vaccinations became mandatory so I decided to find some work and stay until the Covid situation gets better.
Well, this time it took much longer than I expected and the road trip from Darwin to Perth took me about 8 months as I had a great time on this job and the restrictions were not ideal for travellers.
During the last months of my time in Australia, I worked in a roadhouse near Perth to save some more money before heading back home.
In March 2022, I finally hit the road again and made it back to Perth. However, I had a new visa for a few more months so I decided to explore a bit more of the South of Western Australia.
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Making a road trip around Australia is definitely something that should be on your bucket list and I am glad I finally ticked it off my list.
With stunning landscapes, awesome beaches and plenty of attractions to explore, you can spend easily weeks or months driving around this beautiful continent and still feel like you missed out on something.
Have you done a road trip in Australia or another country before? Share your experience in the comments below.
Plan your Road trip around Australia with my favorite travel apps
To plan my adventures, I use these FREE websites and apps as they provide the best information, the best deals, and they are user-friendly.
- Trip – Flight deals
- Booking.com – Hotels and accommodation
- TourRadar – Group trips
- TripAdvisor – Reviews and activities
- HostelWorld – Hostels
- GetYourGuide – Activities and excursions
- RentalCars - Carrental
PICTURES AND EDITING
All the pictures on this page are made and owned by me. If you are interested in some pictures to use for your magazine, website, blog, or any other purpose, just send me an email and we’ll figure it out.
Do you like the edits? My Presets will be online soon so you can edit your pictures in just one click!
The camera gear I used for this trip
I never go out without my camera and many people ask me which gear I use. So to make it quite easy, I listed all the gear I used for this trip below.
Most of the time, I travel with the Sony A7III and the Sony 24-105mm/f4 as my primary lens but depending on the location, I change to another setup. However, I love the Tamron 17-28 to shoot in the big cities.