Indian Ocean Drive, Tourism Western Australia
Autumn in the perfect time to take a road trip. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing (well, at least they are in Bright), the roads aren’t as packed as they are in summer … But the worst thing about taking a road trip in Australia is that there are too many roads to decide between. We’ve selected our four favourite autumn road trips to help you get your planning started.
1. Rainforest Way, New South Wales
You’ll need the residual warmth of summer in the lush environs of Rainforest Way, as these ancient rainforests will give you the chills – in a good way.
Rainforest Way is in northern New South Wales. Rather than a complete road trip, Rainforest Way is more accurately a series of interconnected detours around the towns of Lismore, Murwillumbah and Nimbin, passing through national parks including Nightcap and Wollumbin. There are seven of the routes all up, and you’ll find some of them across the border in Queensland.
It’s a magical road trip. If not for the charming towns that dot the route, you could almost pretend that you’re exploring a forbidden island, as this heavy rainforest is the sort that inspires talks of pirate hideaways and treasure hunts.
2. Great Alpine Road, Victoria
Can’t decide whether you’d prefer mountains or the beach? Get the best of both worlds on the Great Alpine Road. If you time this trip properly, you’ll get to see both the stunning seasonal change of colour in Bright, as well as say farewell to summer with a final dip in the ocean on the other side of the mountains in Gippsland.
After driving up the Hume Highway, spend the first night in Bright. This delightful town on the Ovens River is famous for its deciduous trees, which coat the town in red leaves come autumn. Wind your way up into the mountains on the Great Alpine Road. Omeo is only a couple of hours away, but between Bright and Omeo is access to Alpine National Park. This spectacular national park warrants at least a day’s exploration. You can also detour along Bogong Alpine Way, which will add a few hours’ to the trip to Omeo.
Meander out of the mountains towards Bairnsdale. This town is a gateway to the Gippsland Lakes, and from here the lakes are your oyster. Head up to Croajingolong National Park or towards Ninety Mile Beach.
3. Indian Ocean Drive, Western Australia
Those of us on the east coast can sometimes find it hard to admit that the Western Australian coastline rivals our section of the coast. But the west coast is jaw-droppingly gorgeous, which makes it even more surprising that until recently you couldn’t drive all the way along the Coral Coast, as the major road used to be slightly inland. That’s all changed with the opening of the Indian Ocean Drive.
This drive covers a huge section of the coast, from Perth to Exmouth, where you’ll find Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia’s answer to the Great Barrier Reef. But don’t rush the trip up – there’s plenty to see along the way. Highlights include Kalbarri National Park, with its sinuous gorges and dramatic rock structures, Shark Bay Marine Park, the Pinnacles, Cape Range National Park, and the coastal towns that line this route.
4. Valley and Vines Touring Route, Queensland
The parts of Queensland that fall between the coast and the outback often miss out on public attention – which is why you might not have heard of the Valley and Vines touring route. This touring route takes in the Darling Downs, Granite Belt and Scenic Rim regions of Queensland. It’s a scenic journey where you’ll drive by ancient rainforests, artistic communities, old dairy farms, as well as some of the best wineries in Queensland. Start to the south of Brisbane, head towards Warwick, and then loop your way around to the north through the Blackall Ranges and down into the Sunshine Coast.
