There’s no denying that Australia’s far away – not exactly the next stop after the corner shop! An easy 15-hour flight from Los Angeles, it can feel like a voyage into the Great Unknown after a day or two on an airplane, especially if you stop over in Bangkok, Mauritius or the Maldives (which are all gorgeous destinations in their own right).
As the continent with one of the lowest population densities in the world (about an average of three people per kilometre vs. a world average of 51.6 people per square kilometre) Australia is a tranquil, natural, beautiful place to explore. For those who go to experience and photograph the natural wonders of the world’s 6th largest country, there’s no better way to do it than from the driver’s seat of a beat-up, used car!
Some practical considerations, Bruce!
Before you set off with all the zeal of Shackleton and his companions, plot your route and check your gear. While that VW Kombi might look cool in the movies, when the Outback roads dwindle to sandy tracks you might wish you’d opted for something sturdier. Have a look at the local classifieds listings and keep an eye out for Australian classic used cars like Holden Cruze or maybe popular models in the 4WD range.
Plot your journey
Select an area or two, whether it’s the dusty Outback, breath-taking beaches, rainforests or mountains, and plot your journey. If you have more than two weeks to spend behind the wheel you can expand your route, but remember that Australia is home to the world’s longest highway (over 25,000 km around the rim of the country), which will take about nine months to drive from start to end!
Take in Oz’s Natural Wonders
There are significant natural wonders Down Under that are worth taking the trip to experience and photograph first hand. A roadtrip to the Red Centre of the country via Uluru or Ayres Rock will give you a chance to explore this famous region at your own pace, and to take in lesser-known but no-less incredible natural wonders like the domes of Kata Tjuta or the salt plains of Lake Amadeus.
Beach lovers will relish taking the Great Ocean Road, 250 kilometres along the southern coastline to the surf city of Torquay. Home to Bells Beach, which headlines the Rip Curl Pro Surf Classic every year, this is the place to be if you like watersports. Don’t miss out on Lorne, Princetown and the Twelve Apostles further along the coast though!
Are you still interested in finding out about the greatest ever Aussie road trips? Read up on road tripping in Australia from those who’ve been there, done that and got the t-shirts!
This is a sponsored post.
It’s a dream of mine to do down under on road…thank you for sharing. Might come in handy some day :-)