It is the route you pick that makes for a good family road trip in Australia, not how nice the hire car is. Take the Great Ocean Road for an untroubled all-rounder; the Great Barrier Reef Drive if your children are fond of wildlife; the Legendary Pacific Coast for its beaches and attractions; or the Red Centre Way which will be more to the taste of families with teens and older kids. Then there is Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive, with its mix of wildlife, food and beaches over very manageable distances.
I am Thomas Murphy, a father of two teenage boys and a road-trip writer of Irish-Australian make based in Fremantle. Over the years I have had my fill of maps and breakfast stop deliberations, and come to understand that “it is only an hour” can turn into a constitutional crisis once you are past the last service station. In this guide I put Australia’s best family road trips head to head, giving realistic timings and the sort of details that prevent a holiday from being rough as guts, as well as likely costs and seasonal warnings.
A Quick Look At The Best Family Road Trips
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all “best” road trip in a country as big as Australia. It comes down to the age of your offspring, their patience for being driven, how much adventure they want and whether they will put up with a caravan park bathroom. Have a look at the table below to whittle it down before making any bookings.
The figures for distance are what you can expect on the main route, side trips aside. For a family coastal drive itinerary, this gives a realistic planning baseline. As for timing, we have factored in regular sightseeing and toilet breaks, not some heroic push to get across the country by dinnertime.
| Route | Approx. Distance | Duration | Who it is for | Things to watch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Ocean Road | 250 km | 3–5 days | First-timers and primary-schoolers | The coastal driving is slow and viewpoints get crowded |
| Great Barrier Reef Drive | 140 km one way | 4–6 days | School-age children for the rainforest and wildlife | Crocodile awareness, stingers and tropical weather |
| Legendary Pacific Coast | 1,000 km | 7–10 days | Mixed-age families after a beach holiday | Traffic in Sydney, Brisbane and Gold Coast |
| Red Centre Way | 1,100 km plus | 7–10 days | Teens and older | You are remote with limited services and heat |
| Great Eastern Drive | 300 km (Hobart to Bay of Fires) | 5–7 days | For the food, short walks and beaches | Winding roads and cool conditions |
The Great Ocean Road
From Melbourne the Great Ocean Road is hard to beat as a family outing given the ratio of reward to time in the car. One does not have to put in a fortnight behind the wheel to get to Torquay and be underway on the coast. There are the Twelve Apostles, forest and wildlife on the agenda, and Lorne or Apollo Bay are handy for a decent meal when one of them proclaims to be ravenous not long after breakfast.
Simple Route And Family Stops
Make it three days for something brisk, four or five for a more sedate itinerary. A sensible way to do it is via Anglesea, Lorne and Apollo Bay to the Twelve Apostles and on to Warrnambool. Kennett River draws people in for the koalas and birdlife but remember they are wild creatures: do not feed them or stand in the road gazing up at them.
You could drive to the Twelve Apostles and back from Melbourne in a day, though it is a long one and you will not have much time for the beach. Some forget the word “road” in Great Ocean Road is not meant to be taken as a fast highway; with the curves and overtaking it is wiser to take it easy.
Where Families Can Base Themselves
Lorne is a good base for a café and a walk on the beach. Put in a few days in Apollo Bay and you are close to the Great Otway National Park. If a bigger town with more accommodation is preferred, Warrnambool makes for a practical return to Melbourne.
Allow $180 to $350 AUD or so for a night in a family room or self-contained unit, more so in school holidays. A caravan or holiday park will give better value and a kitchen and laundry, not to mention somewhere for the children to run off steam.
Wildlife On The Great Barrier Reef Drive
Relatively speaking the Great Barrier Reef Drive is a short route between Cairns and Cape Tribulation and yet it has rivers, rainforest and reef to offer. For the family that would rather be in a swimming pool or having a wildlife encounter than making a long haul across the interior, this is one of the finest road trips to be had in Australia. You will find tropical scenery in short order as you put some distance between yourself and suburban Cairns and head for the bush proper; the road takes you on to the Daintree Rainforest.
Plan Around The Tropics
Four to six days is advisable, more so if you intend to put in some time in the rainforest and make a trip to the reef from Cairns. Port Douglas is handy as a base of operations between Cairns and the Daintree. Those with a taste for the organised kind of wildlife visit can go to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures in the vicinity of Cairns. At Mossman Gorge there are cultural experiences and walks in the rainforest to be had, provided one is respectful.
Make it a point to check the Daintree River crossing before you set out. Once over, you will find the roads are narrow and winding and services are at a premium. See what the road conditions are like and have your fuel and accommodation sorted. In the wet season there is the prospect of closures, flooding and heavy rain; north of here a cyclone alert is something to factor into your plans from November through April. The dry season presents fewer obstacles for getting around, if not for the crowds in some places.
Water And Wildlife Safety
There is a difference between expectation and reality in the tropes: a beach does not equate to safe swimming. Heed the local advice and signs on stingers, crocs and currents. Be croc-wise at rivers and estuaries, do not let children stray and abide by what the authorities say.
Factor in transport, equipment and fares for the children and a day at the reef will run you several hundred dollars; operators and their activities will set the price, so be prudent when booking. For lodging a motel or self-contained apartment is in the order of $180–$400 AUD per night, but a holiday park has the advantage of lower food bills should you do some cooking.
The Legendary Pacific Coast For Beach Days
If flexibility is what a family wants, the Legendary Pacific Coast is hard to beat as an Australian road trip from Sydney. On the way to Brisbane the route serves up the usual holiday towns such as Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast along with their beaches, playgrounds and wildlife parks. It is well suited to children of varying ages; the teen can be off looking for a coffee and feigning disinterest in the holiday while the toddler is at the playground.
Break Up The Driving
Put aside seven days, ten if you are keen on the beach. A first night in Port Macquarie is sensible after leaving Sydney. Coffs Harbour has the Big Banana and other things to occupy the family, whereas Byron Bay will have you put up with some expense and traffic for the sake of its beaches and town life. Then there is the Gold Coast with its theme parks and resorts, not to mention the congestion and what you will pay for a room.
One should not make a straight race of it between Sydney and Brisbane. Travel the Pacific Highway and then take your detours in good order instead of making them up as you go. Parking rules in the coastal towns are worth a look, school holidays in particular. Expect to pay $180–$400 AUD for a family room, more for a package at a resort.
Who Will Enjoy It Most?
Beginner travellers will find few easier family road trips; the populated coast is well supplied with accommodation, supermarkets and medical services. But if your family is after a bit of solitude or the wilderness, you will be better off in the Red Centre or Tasmania.
Red Centre Way For Older Children
Older children and teens are made for the outback adventure of the Red Centre Way to Uluru, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs, perhaps via the West MacDonnell Ranges. They will put up with the heat and the early hours and long drives where geology is the only form of entertainment. The view may be fine but the logistics remain.
Build In Heat And Distance
Seven to ten days is a good allowance, contingent on the vehicle and the route. Start in Alice Springs for the services and supplies. You need to give the walk at Kings Canyon its due, and at Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park where Uluru is, there are access conditions and cultural guidance to be followed. The park’s own visitor information should be consulted before you leave.
A standard hire car is not up to every track and road, so do not assume it is. Have water to hand, shield the children from the sun and save any hard walking for outside the heat of the day. A cabin or motel is around $180–$350 AUD a night, remote options are another matter.
Culture Comes Before Photos
You will not find Indigenous culture as an afterthought in the Red Centre, it is of the essence. One should make a point of heeding Traditional Owners and the park authorities, to show due respect for off limits areas and to put some meaning into the places one visits. All too often I see a family over-schedule their day and come to a site of cultural importance in no mood for it, hot and irritable. Make room to put in a proper stop.
Great Eastern Drive In Tasmania
For the family in search of scenery without the kind of driving distances one puts in on the mainland, the Great Eastern Drive from Hobart to the Bay of Fires is well worth it. There are national parks, seafood and wildlife in Tasmania to be had, and the east coast, Maria Island and Wineglass Bay present you with activity of varying sorts.
Walks: Be Selective
Five or seven days is what you need. Hobart has the museums and provisions before the road goes east. You can put down roots in Bicheno, Coles Bay or Swansea; the Bay of Fires is best taken at a leisurely pace. Wineglass Bay may be lovely but do not sell the walk to the lookout as an easy one to a parent who is done in for the day or a small child. See what the track is like, how far back you have to go and what the weather is doing first.
Then there is Maria Island. An excellent spot for a walk or to see some wildlife if you have made the necessary transport arrangements and are prepared to tote your supplies, but don’t expect to pop in and out. The summer draws people to the cooler climes of Tasmania though access can be curtailed by bushfire closures. In autumn and spring it is less of a crowd, winter calls for more latitude in your plans and somewhere warm to stay.
Other Options For The Road Trip
When the usual routes do not suit the calendar, Australia is full of alternatives for the family. It is better to have a sound reason for the journey than to amass place names like so many fridge magnets. Those in the west might drive the coast from Perth to Margaret River; South Australia has Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Kangaroo Island for the seafood and wildlife enthusiast. The Sunshine Coast is a straightforward way to spend time in Queensland, and in the dry season Darwin is a good start for the Top End. As for the Gibb River Road or anything in the Pilbara, these are not for the casual beginner on holiday; the heat, the roads and the fuel logistics require you to be prepared.
Put The Route To Your Family’s Measure
Take your cue from the one in the car who is least keen. Toddlers that want to get out? Go with the Great Ocean Road or the Legendary Pacific Coast. For the teen with an appetite for achievement and some odd terrain there is the Red Centre Way. The Great Barrier Reef Drive has its appeal for warm weather and wildlife so long as the rules of tropical safety are known to all.
Trying to put half a state under your belt in five days is not practical; stick to a portion of the Pacific Coast or the Great Eastern or Great Ocean Drives. From Melbourne a five-day run can encompass Ballarat and Sovereign Hill in addition to the coast. A similar time frame from Sydney is better spent in the Central or southern coast or Port Macquarie, no need to make a return to Brisbane of it.
A Drama Free Drive Is A Matter Of Planning
It does not preclude the occasional wrong turn or a wet towel and queues, nor someone inquiring if you have made it yet; the finest family road trips in Australia will have those. The idea is to leave some margin for the reality of it.
- Before you set off for the day look at the weather, any ferry or park alerts and whether the roads are open. Have a paper map in case reception is non-existent, along with chargers, medication, sun protection, water and a first-aid kit. And when you pick up the vehicle, make sure the tyres and child restraints are in order and you have roadside-assistance cover.
- Where you can, be modest with your driving days and put in a playground or some scenery to break up the hours every so often. As for school holidays, do not leave it late to make reservations at holiday and caravan parks, family resorts or in national parks. And have some leeway in your time and finances for an emergency; extra fuel, a room at the last minute or a remote recovery will set one back.
Costs And Return Logistics
Put aside $80–$180 AUD a day for food for a family of four as a workable figure, say, between casual dining and what you pick up at the supermarket. Then factor in the vehicle, fuel, accommodation and any activities. A coastal outing of short duration might run to $1,500–$3,000 AUD (flights aside), but go off the beaten track or pack on the activities and the bill can be higher in no time. Consider these planning estimates rather than hard and fast numbers; they are subject to the season, your vehicle and the way your family travels.
If you are looking at a one-way, weigh up the hire fee and getting home by plane against returning the car where you got it. Some will head inland from the Great Ocean Road over the Western Highway and Warrnambool. A Sydney to Brisbane one-way is feasible on the Pacific Coast but one should enquire as to drop-off charges and availability before putting pen to paper. Do not be caught out by an expensive surprise on a deceptively simple map.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Most Beautiful Road Trip In Australia?
For a compact family affair the Great Ocean Road is the easy choice, being home to the Twelve Apostles, forest and beaches. Then there is the Red Centre Way for more of a visual change with its desert terrain. But “most beautiful” is in the eye of the beholder, so let the season, your family’s tastes and how much driving you are prepared for be the deciding factor.
What Are The Best Family Trips In Australia?
Mixed-age families are well served to begin with the Great Eastern Drive, Legendary Pacific Coast or the Great Ocean Road. Make it the Great Barrier Reef Drive if rainforest and wildlife are high on the list. Older children who can handle the heat and exertion of distance would do better on the Red Centre Way.
What Are The Ten Most Beautiful Places To Visit In Australia?
You could put together a shortlist of the Twelve Apostles, Wineglass Bay, Uluṟu, Daintree Rainforest, the Great Otway National Park, Byron Bay, the reef, Kings Canyon, Kangaroo Island and the Bay of Fires. There is no call to see them all in the course of one holiday, which is a sure way to turn a trip into a logistical ordeal.
What Is The Best Place For A Five-Day Road Trip?
From Melbourne the Great Ocean Road is ideal for five days, as is a part of the Legendary Pacific Coast from Sydney. Fly into Hobart and the east coast of Tasmania is good too, allowing for a less hurried pace. Leave a day open for the weather or to put in more time somewhere, or because the children are flagging.
Are Australian Road Trips Safe For Toddlers?
They can be, as long as child restraints are properly fitted and you do not overdo the driving, making regular stops. You will find coastal routes with their towns more straightforward than the outback. Be mindful of tides, water, road conditions, wildlife and the heat, and under no circumstances put pets or children in a parked car.
Choose The Journey You Can Enjoy
The finest road trip in Australia is the one that does not overtax your budget, time or the family’s energy. An introduction via the Great Ocean Road, the attractions of the Pacific Coast, the challenge of the Red Centre, tropical wildlife on the reef drive or variety in Tasmania are all options.
I have one rule: get the sleep, the toilets and the fuel sorted. As for the rest, like a scenic stop or some overconfidence in a roadside bakery, that will take care of itself.
