Australia Road Trip: The 16 Best Routes for Your Perfect Australian Vacation

A vacation in Australia sounds great at first. However, Australia is a huge country, and the possibilities are practically endless. If your vacation time and budget are limited, you’ll have to choose the things that suit you best (or fly to Australia several times—that’s an option, too, of course ;) ).

And that’s exactly what this article is for. I’ll give you lots of tips and recommendations so that, after reading it, you’ll have a better overview and can start planning your trip with the necessary background knowledge.

Your Australian adventure can begin!!!

I spent a full 6 months traveling around Australia and drove a whopping 23,000 km across the continent. I’ve summarized all my experiences here in this article to give you some suggestions for your perfect road trip through Australia.

You can also find the routes from the article here on the map:

Should I book an Australia tour with a travel agency?

In this article, you’ll find all the information you need to plan your very own personalized itinerary through Down Under.

Planning your own itineraries, comparing accommodations, and finding the perfect rental car is a lot of fun—but, admittedly, it also takes an incredible amount of time, especially when you’re talking about an entire continent like Australia.

If, while planning, you realize, “Oh no, this is a bit too much for me,” or if you just want to enjoy the freedom once you’re there without worrying about your next reservation, there’s a stress-free alternative: organized tours of Australia.

Professional tour operators have already tested the route for you, secured hand-picked accommodations, and often offer round-the-clock service. This is ideal if you want to focus entirely on the natural wonders, the Outback, and the Australian laid-back vibe, rather than spending an endless amount of time planning.

That’s why it’s not a bad idea to compare the package tour offers from major tour operators at least once:

When is the best time to visit Australia?

If you decide on a specific route or destination in Australia, be sure to check the time of year you’ll be traveling there before booking. That’s because Australia has many different climate zones, each of which is more or less suitable for travel at certain times of the year:

• During the Australian summer (December through March), the tropical regions in the north are very humid and extremely hot (sometimes reaching 40 degrees Celsius). This is the rainy season, which means it rains at least once almost every day. Also, you shouldn’t go swimming in the tropical regions of Queensland and the Northern Territory during the summer, as there are deadly jellyfish in the water at that time.
• In the south, on the other hand, it’s quite pleasantly warm at this time of year. Just a typical Australian summer—with sun, beaches, and surfing.
• In the Australian winter, on the other hand (June through September), the conditions are exactly the opposite. Then it gets quite cold in the south, especially at night. Although winters in Australia are very pleasant compared to Europe, snowstorms can occur even here—as was the case in Sydney in 2014, even as late as October.
• In the tropical north, it’s the dry season then. It’s still hot, but not as extremely humid as during the rainy season. Plus, there are no poisonous jellyfish in the water at that time.

“Australia-climate-map MJC01″ by Martyman – Original work by the uploader. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

What’s the best length of time for your tour of Australia?

Generally speaking, my answer to this question would be: The longer, the better.

But here’s a problem that many visitors to Australia face:

I can only take a limited number of vacation days at a time, but I want to see as much as possible and discover all the diversity the country has to offer. But Australia is so huge—how am I supposed to do that?

From my own experience, I can tell you this: Even after traveling through Australia for a full 6 months, I still missed out on a lot of great things. And if you only have 4 weeks or less, there’s no way you’ll be able to see it all. Don’t even try. In the end, you’ll just be stressed out, won’t get any rest, and won’t be able to truly enjoy your experiences.

Instead, pick a region or route that appeals to you the most and experience a little less, but make it more intense. I promise you that even then, you’ll have so many adventures and gather so many memories that you won’t be able to stop raving about your trip to Australia. Because every part of Australia offers breathtaking nature, fantastic cities, interesting culture, and wonderful people.

How do you find cheap flights?

When booking your flight, I always recommend using meta-search engines. They check the latest prices on various flight booking websites, and you can filter for the cheapest options. Personally, I prefer Skyscanner, but there are others as well, such as Kayak or Momondo.

On websites like SecretFlying, you can also occasionally find error fares for flights to Australia (error fares are mistakes made by airlines that result in extremely low prices for a short time).

Skyscanner has also published some statistics on the best times to book your flight:

• Statistically speaking, it’s cheaper to book a flight from Frankfurt to Sydney 16 weeks in advance. The cheapest flights are available in March. July is the most expensive month.
• Statistically speaking, it’s cheaper to book a flight from Frankfurt to Melbourne 21 weeks in advance. The cheapest flights are available in April and May. July is the most expensive month.
• For a flight from Munich to Sydney, you should actually book as early as 22 weeks in advance. May is the cheapest month to book.

By the way, flights to Perth—which is located in the far west of Australia and is therefore not quite as far from Germany—are often cheaper.

By the way: The flight to Sydney, for example, takes about 20 hours and almost always includes a layover. If you’re a little flexible with your schedule, you can book your flights so that you can spend a few extra days in another country. Sometimes that’s even cheaper. For example, you could first fly to Bangkok on a budget flight and then on to Australia a few days later.

Australia Road Trip: Tips for Renting a Car

I also recommend using a comparison site when booking a rental car in Australia. My favorites are Check24 and billiger-mietwagen.de. There are others as well, such as cardelmar.

Which car should you book?

Of course, that depends entirely on your budget and your route. But Australia is the perfect country for camping. There are many free and paid campsites scattered throughout the country. It’s best to rent a large RV or a special van where you can also sleep. Some providers include:

• Jucy
• Wicked
• spaceship

But you can also find affordable RVs and camper vans on the comparison websites mentioned above.

Of course, you can still have an Australian adventure with a regular rental car. You just won’t be able to sleep in the car, so you’ll have to either camp in a tent or stay at motels, hotels, hostels, or Airbnbs along the way.

Another option is a station wagon. You can sleep in it if you fold down the back seat. It offers enough space for two people. On my 6-month trip, I had a Holden Commodore, and I was able to sleep in it just fine.

If you choose a route that includes unpaved roads, you should definitely rent a 4WD Jeep (4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive). However, they are significantly more expensive.

Places to Stay During Your Vacation in Australia

Hostels

If you’re looking for like-minded backpackers and comfort and privacy aren’t your top priorities, hostels are the perfect choice for you. However, hostels are by no means the cheapest place to stay in Australia. They’re perfect, though, if you’re only in a place for a day or two.

With apps like Hostelworld or Hostelbookers, you can always find the cheapest hostel still available in any city in Australia.

Airbnb, Wimdu, 9flats, gloveler

On Shareconomy platforms, you can find rooms or entire apartments listed by private individuals. The apartment or home owners set the prices for an overnight stay themselves.

I’ve used Airbnb myself in Europe and Australia, and I highly recommend the service. In Canberra, for example, the hostels aren’t that great, and I just wanted to have a room all to myself—without anyone snoring or stumbling through the door drunk in the middle of the night ;).

The providers are:

• airbnb.de
• Wimdu.de
• 9flats.com
• gloveler.de

Couchsurfing

With Couchsurfing, you search for rooms or apartments from private hosts, similar to Airbnb. The difference here, however, is that it’s free. The focus is more on getting to know people and exchanging different cultures. However, there’s no guarantee that anyone will actually host you. I found that it’s very difficult to find a host through Couchsurfing in Australia. Maybe young, blonde girls have a better chance than I do ;)

I’m a Couchsurfing host myself, and the following tips will help you find a place to stay through Couchsurfing:

• You want to make a good impression on your host. Create a detailed profile on Couchsurfing that honestly describes who you are.
• Add a few details about your life that make you an interesting candidate for a host.
• Upload as many photos as possible to your profile.
• Also, ask a few friends who are on Couchsurfing to see if they can leave you a good review. Couchsurfers with lots of good reviews are more likely to be accepted.
• When applying for a couch, you should tailor your message to your specific host. Generic messages are easy to spot and are usually just deleted.
• In your profile and when applying for a couch, mention some of your travel experiences and what you could offer the host during your stay—for example, cooking, teaching them to play the guitar, or something else special that might interest them.
• It’s a big advantage if you’ve hosted couchsurfers yourself before.

Camping / Tent Camping

If you’re traveling by car, you can, of course, sleep in it or set up a tent next to it. It’s not very comfortable, but it’s cheap and gives you that adventurous road trip vibe.

There are plenty of campsites in Australia—both free and paid. However, finding legal places to stay near major cities can be a challenge. Your best bet is to download the Wikicamps app. It lists all campsites and other spots on a map. Almost every backpacker and traveler in Australia uses this app.

In this article, I’ve put together a list of very useful apps and websites for Australia. You’ll also find more tips on finding a place to stay.

Hotels

You might not believe it, but even in Australia, you can often find pretty cool hotel rooms at low prices. Sometimes they’re even cheaper than a bed in a crowded hostel dorm.  You just have to know where to look. Be sure to try the search function on booking.com and sort the list by price. I also found some super cheap deals on agoda.com and trivago.de from time to time during my trip.

Mobile Internet in Australia

Another important question for many travelers to Australia is: “How can I get internet on my smartphone in Australia without paying exorbitant roaming charges?”

The answer: It’s best to get a prepaid SIM card before you travel. That means you pay a certain amount for, say, 1 GB of data, insert the SIM card into your cell phone, and use the data until it runs out. You can do this with providers like Simlystore, for example. They also offer special prepaid SIM cards specifically for Australia.

Alternatively, you can go to a mobile carrier’s store while you’re there and sign up for a “prepaid plan.” You’ll also get an extra SIM card, but until you’ve completed the setup, you’ll only be able to go online via Wi-Fi.

Road Trip Routes in Australia: Where Should You Travel in Australia?

Before you start planning, you should first think about what you absolutely want to see in Australia. Are you more into an Outback adventure, or would you rather spend as much time as possible on the beach—and maybe even go diving on the Great Barrier Reef? Or is it enough for you to explore the most famous cities, like Sydney and Melbourne, and their surrounding areas?

3-Week Tour of Australia

Most of the routes listed below end in a different location than where they start (except for Perth). The direction doesn’t really matter, but you should keep this in mind when booking your flight.

Australia Road Trip Tip 1: Melbourne – Sydney

The route from Melbourne to Sydney (or vice versa) is the quintessential Australian classic and my personal favorite if I only had three weeks of vacation. Along this route, you’ll find plenty of nature, beaches, world-class cities with their famous landmarks, as well as culture and nightlife.

I recommend the following route, with estimated travel times:

• Explore Melbourne’s many attractions (2–4 days).

• Take a road trip along the Great Ocean Road and discover koalas, surfing beaches like Bells Beach, and the Twelve Apostles. The route starts and ends in Melbourne, and you can drive it quickly in 2 days or take your time over 4 days. A day trip is also possible, though it’s too rushed.

• Next, head toward the coast to Wilsons Promontory National Park near Melbourne (you can plan to spend 1–2 days here).
• Now continue driving along the coast, where you’ll find many wonderful little towns and beaches (travel time, including stops: 2–3 days)
• Drive to Narooma, a small, idyllic coastal town.

• Take a side trip to Canberra, Australia’s capital, and explore its many embassies and museums (1–2 days).
• Now it’s back to the coast and then on to Sydney. Along the way, you should definitely check out Hyams Beach. It’s considered the whitest beach in the world. (1 day)
• Explore Sydney in 2–4 days.
• Take a day trip to the Blue Mountains near Sydney (1–2 days).

• Distance: 2,200–2,500 km
• Best time to visit: The Australian summer
• Here’s something to keep in mind: This route doesn’t take you to the Outback, and it doesn’t include the Great Barrier Reef either.

Australia Road Trip Tip 2: Brisbane – Cairns

If you’re determined to see the Great Barrier Reef and generally prefer beaches and the coast, then a road trip from Brisbane to Cairns (or vice versa) is the way to go. While Brisbane and Cairns may not hold a candle to Melbourne or Sydney, they’re still great cities that are well worth a visit.

• Explore Brisbane (1–2 days).

• From Brisbane, you can start by taking a 1-2 day trip south to the Gold Coast and Surfers Paradise. The backdrop of the many skyscrapers is impressive.
• If you have a little more time, the famous bohemian town of Byron Bay, south of the Gold Coast, is also worth a one-day trip.
• From there, we’ll continue north, past Brisbane, to Australia Zoo, the zoo owned by legendary Australian crocodile tamer Steve Irwin (1 day).
• A little further north of the zoo lies the beautiful Sunshine Coast and Noosa National Park, as well as the Noosa Everglades, where you can go on exciting kayaking tours (1–2 days).
• You shouldn’t miss a tour of the world’s largest sand island—Fraser Island—either (2–3 days).

• In Airlie Beach, you can go on snorkeling and scuba diving tours to the Whitsundays and the Great Barrier Reef (2–3 days).
• There are also Great Barrier Reef tour operators in Townsville. From here, you can also visit Magnetic Island, which is home to many koalas (1–2 days).
• Explore Cairns (1–2 days).
• Explore waterfalls (Millaa Millaa) and cool jungle towns like Kuranda in the highlands of the Atherton Tablelands (1 day).
• Check out the world’s oldest rainforest—the Daintree Rainforest (1–2 days).

• Distance: 1,500 to 2,000 km.
• Best time to visit: Outside the rainy season
• Here’s what you should keep in mind:
  • If you’re traveling during the rainy season, it will be very humid and hot. There are also poisonous jellyfish in the ocean at that time. By the way: There are crocodiles everywhere here—in rivers and along the coast. Watch out for the warning signs.
  • You can find tips on how to deal with dangerous animals here: Why it’s more deadly to be in bed in Australia than to encounter a dangerous animal

Australia Road Trip Tip 3: Melbourne to Adelaide

The route from Melbourne to Adelaide is a bit more laid-back, offering plenty of nature as well as two fantastic cities. You’ll encounter kangaroos, koalas, and wombats, as well as strange caves and amazing beaches.

• Spend the first 2–4 days exploring Melbourne.
• Be sure to take a 1-2 day trip to Wilsons Promontory National Park before you start your road trip westward.

• You should also plan on spending 2–4 days traveling along the Great Ocean Road west of Melbourne.
• Continue north toward Hamilton. From here, you can take a day trip to Grampians National Park and go hiking on one of the mountains.

• The next stop is the wonderful town of Mount Gambier. Here you can marvel at unique limestone caves and a particularly blue lake. You can stay overnight here (1–2 days).
• The journey continues north along the Limestone Coast toward Adelaide. Most of the way, you’ll be driving through natural landscapes, such as Coorong National Park with its many salt lakes and sand dunes. Every now and then, you can stop at one of the idyllic fishing villages to refuel for the rest of the trip—perhaps with a serving of fish and chips (1 day).

• Adelaide: Explore the city that Lonely Planet named one of its “must-visit” cities in 2014. It offers an exciting nightlife as well as laid-back neighborhoods with beaches, such as Glenelg (2 days).
• A trip to Kangaroo Island (2–4 days) should definitely be a must-see on this route. Here you’ll find Flinders Chase National Park and the Remarkable Rocks, which look as if they were placed there by aliens.

• Distance: approximately 2,200 km
• Best time to visit: During the Australian summer

Outback Road Trip: Adelaide to Alice Springs

An Outback adventure awaits you along the route from Adelaide to Alice Springs: On this route, you’ll spend most of your time driving through dusty, moon-like landscapes along seemingly endless straight roads, building campfires in the evenings, and gazing at the crystal-clear starry nights. This route is most fun in a four-wheel-drive (4WD) Jeep.

• Explore trendy Adelaide and, at least for one evening, check out its nightlife (2–3 days).
• Before you head north, a trip to Kangaroo Island might also be an option for you. Be sure to set aside at least 2–4 extra days for it, though.
• The trip begins, heading north to the Barossa Valley. It’s Australia’s most famous wine region, so be sure to sample a few wines (1 day).
• Continue north through Burra to Port Augusta. Burra was one of the country’s first mining centers. At the Bon Accord Mining Museum, you can learn about the region’s history. Port Augusta is a good place to stop and restock your supplies, since the area north of here gets pretty remote (1 day).
• From Port Augusta, you should definitely take a day trip to Flinders Range National Park. You can find a great article with lots of tips on swissnomads (1–2 days).
• From here, the journey continues north to Marree and from there along the Oodnadatta Track, which stretches more than 600 km. This route offers plenty of adventure. However, you should only drive it in a 4-WD and plan on spending about 2–3 days on the trip. There’s a detailed article about it on traveloutbackaustralia.
• Alternatively, you can drive along Highway 87 to the desert town of Coober Pedy, known for its opal mining. A few unique sights await you here. There are underground buildings where locals used to live to protect themselves from the heat. You can even stay overnight in an underground hotel here, which is an experience in itself. But you can also go opal hunting on your own in Coober Pedy. You might get lucky and find one. To do so, however, you’ll need a permit from PIRSA (2 days).

• It takes about 7 hours to drive from Coober Pedy to Alice Springs. So once you arrive in Alice Springs, you should find a comfortable hotel and take some time to relax and cool off from the heat before exploring the city the next day (2 days).
• You’ll see the real highlights of the route at the start of your return trip. Drive along the Red Centre Highway, which takes you past Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon, among other sights (2–5 days).
• Return trip from Adelaide: 2–3 days.

• Distance: 2,400 km (one-way), 3,000 km (including the Oodnadatta Track, one-way), 4,000 km round trip,
• Best time to visit: Not in the summer
• Here’s what you should keep in mind:
  • Most of this route runs through the Outback and is quite monotonous. But with a 4-wheel-drive, you can venture off the main road a bit—for example, onto the fantastic Oodnadatta Track.
  • It gets extremely hot here in the summer. You should avoid this area during that time of year. But even during other seasons, you should always carry enough water with you. In some places, you’ll be driving hundreds of kilometers through the desert.
  • There is no international airport in Alice Springs. That means you’ll have to drive back to Adelaide first. That will take at least 2 days. You should keep this in mind when planning your route. Or you could rent a car only as far as Alice Springs and then fly back to Adelaide or to another city with an international airport. Airlines offering these flights include Virgin Australia and Qantas.

You can find some great articles about this road trip, with lots of details, here:

• By Swiss Nomads – The road trip from Alice Springs to Adelaide doesn’t have to be boring

Australia Road Trip Tip 5: Western Australia, South of Perth

This road trip takes you from Perth through the Outback to Esperance and through forests with giant trees along the coast, past many stunning beaches, and back to Perth. You should plan on spending about 2 weeks on this trip. In three weeks, however, you can take a much more relaxed approach to the entire route and even make a few unplanned detours.

To be honest: If I were to travel through Australia again, I would spend much more time in this fantastic and diverse region.

• Take some time to recover from jet lag and explore the highlights of Perth (2 days). Here are some tips: 10 Things to Do in Perth.
• A day trip to Rottnest Island is also worth considering. There, you can see the cute quokkas.
• The actual road trip begins as we head inland toward the bizarre Wave Rock (1 day).
• The next stop is the Outback’s largest city: Kalgoorlie. This place was once bustling with gold rush excitement. Today, many ghost towns from that era remain in the region (2 days).
• Now you’ll leave the Outback and head south to Esperance. Esperance is a small, laid-back town with gorgeous, idyllic beaches (2 days). More info: The Magic of Australian Small Towns: Esperance in Western Australia

• Cape Le Grand National Park is just a day trip away from Esperance. It’s famous for its pristine white beaches, such as Lucky Bay, where kangaroos roam freely.
• Next, we head to Albany, an idyllic town with many short hiking trails and fantastic beaches (1–2 days). More: Albany—the oldest European settlement
• You should definitely stop at the Valley of Giants. Here, you can walk among the treetops of the country’s largest trees. The small town of Denmark is a great place to stop along the way (1 day). More info: The Valley of Giants
• In Pemberton, a little further north, the trees are also the highlight. There are a few here that you can even climb (not for the faint of heart) (1 day).

• From there, you’ll head back to the coast—a very special one, especially for surfers and those who want to become surfers. Margaret River and Yallingup are meccas for surfers. Here, you can bid on surfboards at affordable prices or book a surfing lesson. Alternatively, you can simply sit on the beach with one of the region’s delicious wines (2–3 days). More info: Wine and Waves.
• The final leg of the route takes you back along the coast to Perth. Great stops along the way include Busselton and Cape Peron near Rockingham. In Busselton, you should definitely take a walk along the Busselton Jetty (1–2 days).
• Before you head back to Perth, be sure to check out the vibrant port city of Fremantle.

• Distance: 2,500 km
• What to Expect: Major Cities (Perth), the Outback, Beaches
• Best time to visit: during the Australian summer or in the spring, when thousands of wildflowers transform the landscape into a colorful sea of flowers.

Australia Road Trip Tip 5: Western Australia, North of Perth

Let the adventure begin: Along this road trip, you’ll discover many unique natural wonders and very few people. North of Perth, you’ll head out into the wilderness. This road trip offers a fantastic coastline with great beaches and surf spots, as well as the dusty outback. You should set aside about 3 weeks for this route. It’s possible to do it in less time, but it’ll be more stressful.

• Explore the capital of Western Australia: Perth (2 days)
• A day trip to Rottnest Island is also worth considering. There, you can see the cute quokkas.
• The road trip begins with a detour to Nambung National Park, where you should check out the Pinnacles Desert (1 day).

• Next, we’ll head to Geraldton, the last major city on the way north (1 day). Be sure to stock up on supplies and gas here. From here on, everything gets more expensive.
• In Kalbarri National Park, you can explore stunning stretches of coastline with surf spots, as well as impressive rock formations and gorges (2 days).
• Shark Bay is one of the highlights of the trip. Unique natural scenery and a beach made of seashells await you here (2 days).

• As you continue north, you should also take a detour to Point Quobba to see the Quobba Blowholes. There’s also a great campground here right on a gorgeous beach (1 day).
• You’ll feel like you’re in paradise at Coral Bay, right on Ningaloo Reef (1–2 days). Here, you can also book tours to see whale sharks, the largest fish in the world.

• Further north, on a peninsula, lies Exmouth. From here, you can take day trips to the fantastic Cape Range National Park. There, you can go snorkeling right off the beach to explore the magnificent underwater world of the Ningaloo Reef (2–3 days).
• We’re slowly making our way back south. But not without spending a few days in what is arguably Australia’s most exciting national park: Karijini National Park (2–3 days).
• On the way back through the Outback to Perth, you can stop in Mount Magnet (1 day).

• Distance: 3,700 km
• Best time to visit:
• What to Expect: Major Cities (Perth), the Outback, Beaches
• Here’s what you should keep in mind:
  • You can only see the whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef during certain months.
  • The distances between the individual spots are a bit longer. It might not look like much on the map, but sometimes you’ll have to drive for 4–5 hours straight. The last leg of the trip, from Karijini through Mount Magnet back to Perth, is particularly long. Plan on spending at least 2 days on this section.
  • The roads leading to the national parks (Kalbarri and Karijini) are unpaved. It’s advisable to have a 4-WD here. I drove a regular car myself, though, and it worked out fine. However, these routes will take you a little longer since you can’t drive as fast.

Australia Itinerary for 4 Weeks or More

In four weeks, you can see a lot more. Four weeks is a good amount of time to fully explore both coasts. I’ve written separate articles on Australia’s West Coast and East Coast, each featuring suggested itineraries, the absolute highlights, and plenty of tips.

Australia’s East Coast (Sydney–Cairns)

In this article, you’ll learn everything about the East Coast: the best time to visit, which highlights you shouldn’t miss, and plenty of tips.

21 breathtaking highlights on the east coast of Australia🐨🏖️🌊

Australia’s West Coast (north and south of Perth)

Here you’ll find lots more useful tips for a road trip through Australia’s Wild West:

(coming soon)

West Coast of Australia (Perth–Darwin)

This road trip consists of two parts. Under the section “Australia Road Trip Tip 5: Western Australia North of Perth” in this article, you’ll find the first leg, which takes you to Karijini National Park (plan on spending about 2 weeks there). Many people drive back to Perth from here. But if you’d like to continue north, you’ll find tips in this part of the article. The entire route is quite long and can be completed in 4 weeks. However, 5 weeks is better if you don’t want to drive a lot every day.

• From Karijini National Park, we continue north. The next stop is Port Hedland (1 day).
• Next, head to Broome (2–3 days). After driving for days through dusty, desolate landscapes, Broome will feel like paradise. Palm-lined streets and a dreamy beach—where you can even ride a camel—await you here.
• Located in the far northeast of Western Australia, Kununurra is a great place to stop for 1–2 days. Many backpackers work on farms in this region. For tourists, there are tours from here to the Kimberleys, such as to the Bungle Bungle Range. You can also drive there yourself in a Jeep.

• Between Broome and Kununurra lies the adventurous Kimberley region. There are two world-famous routes here, but you should only explore them by Jeep: the Gibb River Road (approx. 660 km) and the Duncan Road (approx. 440 km). You’ll need 2–3 days for each one, so you should only drive them if you have enough time.
• A great stop in the Northern Territory is the small town of Katherine (1–2 days). This is where the tropics meet the outback. For example, there’s a hot spring right in the middle of town, surrounded by dense forests.

• On your way to Darwin, you should also take a drive through Kakadu National Park (1–2 days). It’s the largest in Australia. More info: My Worst Day in Australia’s Largest National Park.
• The slightly smaller Litchfield National Park, with its many waterfalls, is also a highlight.
• Of course, you should also set aside 1–2 days to explore the city of Darwin.

• Distance: 5,200 km
• Best time to visit: not during the Australian summer
• Here’s what you should keep in mind:
  • Many sections of the route are what are known as gravel roads. For the most part, you should only drive on them in a four-wheel-drive (4WD) vehicle.
  • Some of the national parks, especially those further north, are closed during the rainy season (approximately January 1 through March 31). Be sure to check in advance for each national park you plan to visit.

A 2-week vacation in Australia

Generally speaking, I would advise against traveling to Australia for less than two weeks. Keep in mind that the trip alone takes 1–2 days, and you might also be tired for several days afterward due to jet lag. However, I’d also like to offer a few tips for anyone who’s determined to see Australia anyway.

In general, I recommend choosing one city for two weeks and exploring it and the surrounding area, rather than going on a long road trip. That way, you won’t need a rental car for the entire time; you can just rent one as needed for day trips.

At the very least, pick one of the cities from the previous itineraries and explore just part of it. Below are a few tips from me on trips in the areas surrounding each city. The time frames listed are the minimum number of days I think you should spend there.

Brisbane

Tips on Brisbane:

• Visit Australia Zoo (1 day)
• Surfing on the Gold Coast (2 days)
• Trip to Byron Bay (2 days)
• Explore Noosa and the Sunshine Coast (2–3 days)
• Explore Fraser Island (2–3 days)

Darwin

Tips on Darwin:

• Trip Through Kakadu National Park (2 Days)
• Day Trip to Litchfield National Park (1–2 days)
• Trip to Katherine and exploration of Nitmiluk National Park (3 days)

Cairns

Tips for Cairns:

• Visit Koala Island, located south of Townsville. You’ll also pass by Mission Beach on the way (3 days).
• A jungle trip to Kuranda, Port Douglas, and the Daintree Rainforest (3 days).
• Exploring the Aetherton Tablelands (2 days)

Perth

Tips on Perth:

• Day Trip to Naumbung National Park and the Pinnacles Desert (1–2 days)
• Spend 1 to 2 days on Rottnest Island.
• Surf Trip to Margaret River (3–4 days)

Sydney

Tips for Sydney:

• Trip to the Blue Mountains (2 days)
• Trip to Australia’s Capital City—Canberra (2 Days)

Melbourne

Tips for Melbourne:

• Road Trip Along the Great Ocean Road (2–4 Days)
• Trip to Wilsons Promontory National Park (2 days)
• Hiking in the Grampians (2 days)

Adelaide

Tips on Adelaide:

• Explore Kangaroo Island (3–4 days)
• Wine Tasting in the Barossa Valley (1–2 days)

More Tips for Your Vacation in Australia

International Health Insurance

In any case, you should get international health insurance before you leave—just in case you do end up getting seriously ill (e.g., a fever) and need medication or to see a doctor. Your regular health insurance will most likely not cover any costs outside of Europe.

In Australia, you have to pay up front before you receive treatment. You can later get reimbursed by your insurance company. It’s important to keep all your original receipts so you can submit them later.

There are many different providers of travel health insurance. On comparison sites, such as Check24’s insurance comparison tool, you can find excellent insurance plans tailored to the specific duration of your trip. You can purchase annual coverage or coverage for a single trip at a specific time. Over a longer period, annual coverage is naturally more cost-effective, since it generally covers all trips throughout the year—not just one.

One well-known option is Hanse Merkur’s travel insurance. These policies often receive very good ratings from Stiftung Finanztest, and the company offers both annual policies and single-trip coverage.

Medications & First-Aid Kit

A standard first-aid kit is all you need for a trip to Australia. You should pick up the following items beforehand:

• Band-Aids and bandages
• Pain relievers
• Travel pills for nausea
• Wound Antiseptic
• Wound ointment
• Pain Relief Gel
• Nasal Spray
• Remedies for irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea

Vaccinations

You don’t need any special vaccinations for Australia. A booster shot for your routine vaccinations should be sufficient.

However, if you have a layover in another country, you may need other vaccinations as well. You can find more information on the CRM Center for Travel Medicine website (in German).

Visa for Australia

For Germans, it’s no problem to get a visitor visa for Australia (eVisitor (subclass 651)). You can apply for the visa directly online.

There are also other types of visas. You can find all the information you need on the Australian Embassy’s website.

Note: If you want to do a work-and-travel program in Australia, you’ll need a Working Holiday visa (subclass 417).

Road Trip Planner

If you want to plan your own road trip, give Roadtrippers a try. There’s a free version that lets you note down individual stops along the way and see which attractions and accommodations are located along the route.

Which of these Australian itineraries is your favorite? Do you have any other tips or questions? Then just leave a comment!