5 best Aussie road trips (part 2: TAS, WA)

1  East Coast, TAS

Journey from Hobart to the Bay of Fires on this scenic road trip. Travel via St Helens, Swansea and Bicheno through a land rich in abundant produce, natural wonders and local wildlife. This road trip gives you a chance (which you should take) to detour to Freycinet National Park to see the granite mountains and deep blue waters filled with marine life.

2  Hobart round trip, TAS

Tasmania is known as a dream road trip destination, and since it is so small, you can see it from top to bottom within a couple of hours. The weather in this state doesn’t get too hot so you can explore the changing scenery most of the year in comfort. See cityscapes, mountainside, coastlines and farmland all in one day.

3  Gibb River Road, WA

This 660km road slices through the Kimberly from Derby to Wyndham passing the remote wilderness of ancient lands. See outback cattle stations and sacred indigenous sites or stop at Bell Gorge and take a dip in the cool waterholes fed by the thundering waterfalls above. The Gibb River Road has only two roadhouses — one at Mt Barnett that sells petrol and diesel, and another at Imintji that sells diesel only. The fuel will be expensive.

4  Perth to Ningaloo, WA

Taking in just under 1,200 kilometres is this stunning road trip from Perth to Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef. Travel along the spectacular Coral Coast past the places you’ve heard all about — Cervantes, Geraldton, Monkey Mia and Carnarvon, as well as the World Heritage-listed Shark Bay and Kalbarri National Park. There is an abundance of wildlife along this coast as well as a colourful carpet of flowers that blankets the area between June and September.

5  Perth to Pilbara, WA

The billion-year-old Pilbara region is a spectacular area that is part of one of the most impressive road trips in Australia. Rich in red earth, iron ore, swimming holes, gorges and indigenous rock art, the Pilbara is known for its top-notch scenery that should be part of everyone’s travel goals. Start in Perth and don’t waste time thinking — head to this magnetic landscape, pronto!