Australia’s 15 most beautiful coastal drives

Sun, sand and sea; a road trip up, down, or along the vast Australian coast is not just the great Australian holiday dream, but a rite of passage.

For me, and probably you, too, all of my childhood holiday memories involve road trips to somewhere beside the sea.

It didn’t change much once I grew up. One of my first road trips with friends rather than parents was north out of Sydney up the coast to Byron Bay. Packing the car and hitting the coast is still my idea of a very good time.

On the road – following Australia on its edges.Credit: iStock

A beach holiday can also be so much more than just a pretty place for a dip, a sunbake and a spot of beach cricket; it’s also the place to go for some once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters, off beat adventures and genuine back-to-nature experiences.

One of the things that makes a coastal road trip in Australia unique is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to wake up to a great view.

There are plenty of beachside caravan and camping spots around the country where you can get a million-dollar beachfront view and still get change from a $50 note. What’s not to love about that?

With more than 50,000 kilometres of coastline and close to 11,500 beaches, Australia’s magnificent shoreline has some of the most scenic coastal driving routes in the world.

Here’s 10 of them that well and truly prove you don’t have to get wet to enjoy a day beside the seaside.

Coral Coast, WA

Kalbarri Skywalk is worth a detour if you’re not scared of heights.

To and from Geraldton to Exmouth Distance 1140 kilometres

Take off Red-desert dunes meet an astonishingly turquoise sea on this long stretch of coastline. Ningaloo Reef is every bit as magnificent as Queensland’s Great Barrier Reef, with the added advantage that it is one of the few places in the world where you can walk straight from the beach to the coral. Gaze at pink lakes and red rock coastal cliffs, paddle river gorges, marvel at living fossils and beaches made up of millions of tiny shells, hand feed wild dolphins at Monkey Mia and swim with whale sharks.

Worth a stop If you have a good head for heights, step out onto Kalbarri Skywalk, two glass-floored lookout platforms cantilevered 100 metres above the Murchison River in Kalbarri National Park. Less vertigo-inducing but just as Insta-worthy is Nature’s Window, a natural rock arch that perfectly frames the upstream view.

Essentials Whale shark season is between April and early July. Wildflowers bloom July-November. Glamp in style at Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef. See australiascoralcoast.com

Tasmania’s north-west

Table Cape in Tasmania.Credit: Tourism Tasmania

To and from Devonport to Arthur River Distance 200 kilometres

Take off Most road trippers who drive off the Spirit of Tasmania ferry at Devonport tend to either head south to Cradle Mountain, or east to Launceston, Freycinet or Hobart. But go west along the Bass Coast and not only will you leave the crowds behind but you’ll uncover a beautiful coastline punctuated with stunning natural attractions, including the flat-topped headland called the Nut at Stanley, and the extraordinary forest wilderness of the takayna/Tarkine, as well as penguins, platypus and seals.

Worth a stop Drive out to Table Cape and visit Wynyard Tulip Farm to wander through rows and rows of stunning blooms. If you miss the spring display it’s still worth driving to Table Cape Lookout, perched above the ocean just a few kilometres from Wynyard, for mesmerising views.

Essentials Best time to see penguins is between November and March. Stay at The Ship Inn at Stanley, a beautifully renovated historic pub. See northwesttasmania.com.au

Kangaroo Island, SA

Kangaroo Island is home to some of the most diverse wildlife you’ll find concentrated in one area anywhere in Australia.

To and from Kingscote and the island Distance 150 kilometres

Take off Kangaroo Island’s gentle rolling hills and lovely beaches belie a wilder heart. Close to half of the island is either natural bushland or national park, and it is home to some of the most diverse wildlife you’ll find concentrated in one area anywhere in Australia – fur seals, rare Australian sea lions, dolphins, koalas, kangaroos, platypus, echidna, 254 species of birdlife and more tammar wallabies than you could ever begin to count. If you can’t spot wildlife here, then you simply aren’t trying.

Worth a stop At mis-named Seal Bay, 60 kilometres from Kingscote, you can join a tour and stroll among dozens of sleepy sea lions resting on the beach. It’s the only place in Australia where you can get this close to them; all other colonies are perched on inaccessible rocky headlands.

Essentials Any time of the year is a good time to do this drive – temperatures are mild during both summer and winter. Overlooking the beach in the centre of Kingscote the Aurora Ozone Hotel has good-value motel-style rooms and apartments. See tourkangarooisland.com.au

Great Barrier Reef Drive, Qld

On the road from Cairns to Cape Tribulation.

To and from Cairns to Cooktown Distance 200 kilometres

Take off The rainforest meets the sea on this road trip, the only place on the planet where two World Heritage-listed areas (the Wet Tropics and the Great Barrier Reef) sit side by side. It starts with a sublimely scenic coast-hugging stretch between Cairns and Port Douglas, before diving into the Daintree Rainforest near Cape Tribulation. If you’ve got a four-wheel drive, take the Bloomfield Track up to Cooktown, or opt for the easier sealed inland route along the Mulligan Highway. Either way you’ll end up in Cooktown, a sleepy, half-forgotten type of place that still has a last-frontier feel to it. The developers haven’t yet found the road to Cooktown, but they will. Go now before everyone else does.

Worth a stop Mossman Gorge is a beautiful boulder-strewn river gorge on Kuku Yalanji land in dense rainforest 20 kilometres north of Port Douglas. Explore it on a Dreamtime Gorge Walk led by a First Nations guide before cooling off with a swim in a waterhole. The Mossman Gorge Centre offers easy access to the gorge, with shuttles departing every 10 minutes from the car park, as well as a cafe, Indigenous art gallery and gift shop.

Essentials Winter is warm and sunny with little rain. Immerse yourself in the rainforest in one of the cute cabins beside Cape Tribulation Beach at Cape Trib Beach House. See tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au

Beyond the Great Ocean Road, Vic

The Budj Bim Cultural Landscape – just beyond the Great Ocean Road.

To and from Warrnambool to Nelson Distance 200 kilometres

Take off The Great Ocean Road might get all the Insta-fame and glory, but the coastal scenery gets even better – and less crowded – the further west you go. The highest sea cliffs in Victoria, the state’s oldest town (Portland), lots of whales, Victoria’s largest shipwreck collection at Flagstaff Hill in Warrnambool and the country’s newest World Heritage site at Budj Bim Cultural Landscape are just some of the reasons why it’s worth going past the Twelve Apostles on your drive down the Great Ocean Road. Throw in the chance to drive around the inside of an active volcano at Tower Hill near Koroit and it’s a great ocean road trip to remember.

Worth a stop One of the best places in Australia to witness one of nature’s great migrations, 40,000 short-tailed shearwaters – mutton birds – fill the sky above Griffith Island at Port Fairy each summer, from late September to April. Stroll out to the island via the causeway around sunset, when they return to their nests, for a truly spectacular show.

Essentials Winter is the time to see whales and their calves at Logan Beach near Warrnambool. The Port Fairy Folk Festival is in March and the Koroit Irish Festival is in April. The bedrooms in the attic at Port Fairy’s Merrijig Inn, the oldest inn in Victoria, may be small, but what they lack in space they make up for in charm. See visitgreatoceanroad.org.au

The Sapphire Coast, NSW

The Killer Whale Museum at Eden.

To and from Bermagui to the Victorian border Distance 156 kilometres

Take off The sparkling beaches and annual whale migration are two of the Sapphire Coast’s biggest drawcards, but the food is just as good. There’s a fisherman’s co-op in almost every town selling fresh seafood, the hinterland dairies produce some fantastic cheeses and there’s plenty of farm-fresh fruit and veggies to be found at farm gate stalls, so grab yourself a blanket, an empty picnic basket, and head south. Oh, and did we mention the oysters? They’re pretty good too: pop into one of the “shellar doors” between Tathra and Wonboyn Lake, join an oyster tour or try some oyster shell gin.

Worth a stop The Eden Killer Whale Museum is full of fascinating stories from the whaling days, including the truth-is-stranger-than-fiction story of Old Tom, leader of a pack of orcas who rounded up whales and directed them towards the whalers waiting with harpoons in exchange for scraps.

Essentials Go in summer and autumn for swimming, winter and spring for whale watching. Stay in the lighthouse keeper cottages at Green Cape Lightstation. See sapphirecoast.com.au

Great Australian Bight, SA

The Great Australian Bight is one of the longest sea cliffs in the world.Credit: iStock

To and from Port Lincoln to Eucla Distance 900 kilometres

Take off Driving across the Nullarbor Plain may not seem like an obvious choice for a coastal road trip, and while you can’t see the sea from the road, it’s actually quite close to the coast with lots of access to the longest unbroken line of sea cliffs in the world. Combined with the scenic cliff top roads and tracks that wind along the western side of the Eyre Peninsula, driving the Great Australian Bight really is one of Australia’s ultimate seaside drives.

Worth a stop Built in 1887, the Eucla Telegraph Station was once one of the most important links in the overland telegraph line, a bustling (if lonely) little town. A rabbit plague in the 1890s saw the town abandoned and by 1927 the telegraph station was closed. Since then, large sand drifts have repeatedly covered and uncovered the stone buildings, and it’s quite eerie wandering around the ruins, half buried in the dunes. They may soon be covered entirely, so see them while you still can.

Essentials The best time to travel across the Nullarbor is during winter when days are mild, though nights can be cold. Whale season is between June and October. Set right on the water’s edge, the historic Streaky Bay Community Hotel has a menu full of local seafood, including King George whiting and oysters. See eyrepeninsula.com

The South West Edge, WA

The Anzac Centre in Albany.

To and from Augusta to Cape Arid Distance 870 kilometres

Take off The southern edge of Western Australia is a striking stretch of undeveloped and often rugged coastline flanked by towering jarrah and karri forests. Known as the Great Southern the area includes the scenic Stirling Ranges, wineries and the historic town of Albany, the oldest European settlement in WA. Further east the beautiful coastline – think dazzling white sand lapped by turquoise water with beaches are so implausibly picture perfect they look photoshopped – continues to Esperance and Cape Arid at the western end of the Great Australian Bight.

Worth a stop Take a drive around the aptly named Great Ocean Drive on the outskirts of Esperance for views every bit as impressive as those on that other great ocean drive in Victoria, without the crumbling rock stacks, of course – or the traffic.

Essentials Almost all the region’s rain falls during the winter months, but winter is the best time to see whales. For wildflowers, visit in spring. Bremer Bay Beaches Resort Tourist Park offers comfortable spa cabins (and caravan and campsites) and is within easy walking distance of beautiful beaches. See australiassouthwest.com

Norfolk Island

There are stunning beaches on Norfolk IslandCredit: iStock

To and from Kingston and the island Distance 40 kilometres

Take off Roughly halfway between Australia and New Zealand, Norfolk Island (classified as an Australian external territory), may only be 35 square kilometres, but there are more than 120 kilometres of roads on the island and many accommodation packages include car hire as part of the deal. Driving them will take longer than you think – waiting for an obstinate cow to move off the road is a common occurrence. There is lots to distract you on your way around, too, with UNESCO World Heritage-listed convict ruins, fascinating museums and stunning beaches at the top of the list.

Worth a stop Take a drive up to the top of Mount Pitt in Norfolk Island National Park. The views from the summit take in almost the whole island; come back at night to the lookout for some sensational star gazing.

Essentials It’s good swimming weather most of the year. Enjoy million-dollar ocean views from the luxury clifftop apartments at Endeavour Lodge, not far from Kingston historic site. See norfolkisland.com.au.

The Deep South, Tas

The beach near The Neck, the isthmus that connects north and south Bruny Island.

To and from Hobart to Cockle Creek Distance 190 kilometres

Take off There’s nowhere quite like Tasmania’s deep south, a beguiling mix of remote wilderness and fertile farmlands that produce excellent food and wine, from the apples and cideries of the Huon Valley to the cheese of Bruny Island, as well as berries, mushrooms, distilleries, wineries, oysters, smoked meats and sensational seafood. Few can resist the siren call of driving to the end of the road – as far south as cars can go – but there are also caves and rainforest, treetop walks, clifftop lookouts and pretty little towns like Huonville and Cygnet to explore along the way.

Worth a stop It only takes 20 minutes to cross the D’Entrecasteaux Channel to Bruny Island on the car ferry from Kettering, but once you’re there it’s worth spending a day or two to explore this beautiful place with wild beaches, dramatic sea cliffs and wildlife at every turn.

Essentials Tasmania’s south can often be windswept and lashed with rain, but that’s part of its wild and woolly charm. Spring is a lovely time to explore the Huon Valley, when fruit trees are smothered in white and pink blossoms. Stay at The Old Bank B&B in Cygnet. See discovertasmania.com.au.

This cover story is an edited extract from the new book Ultimate Coastal Road Trips Australia by Lee Atkinson, published by Hardie Grant Explore, $45

Five classic coastal drives

Great Ocean Road is one of the world’s greatest coastal drives.Credit: iStock

Great Ocean Road, Vic One of the world’s greatest coastal drives following the south-west coast of Victoria past countless beaches, through beautiful sections of rainforest and of course, those famous rocky sea stacks known as the Twelve Apostles. See visitgreatoceanroad.org.au

Grand Pacific Drive, NSW A cliff-hugging, breathtakingly scenic route that meanders along the coastline just south of Sydney to Wollongong and Kiama. A highlight is the cantilevered Sea Cliff Bridge that curves around the cliffs. See grandpacificdrive.com.au

Fleurieu Peninsula, SA Practically on the outskirts of Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula is famous for its wine, gourmet produce and stunning coastal scenery, where grassy hills spill into the sea over sheer rocky cliffs. See fleurieupeninsula.com.au

Gold and Sunshine coasts, Qld The coastline of south-east Queensland has been attracting sun lovers, surfers and beachgoers for generations, and while holiday fashions may come and go, the Gold Coast has never lost its glitzy glamour nor the Sunshine Coast its beachy allure. See queensland.com

East Coast, Tas Home to some of the most striking coastal views in the state, including the much-photographed Wineglass Bay in Freycinet National Park, a practically perfect curve of white sand that is guaranteed to take your breath away. See discovertasmania.com.au