Road Trips in Oceania
The best road trips in Oceania, from the Great Ocean Road to New Zealand's South Island and the Red Centre.
Few regions were made for driving quite like Australia and New Zealand. Vast, empty and spectacularly scenic, they reward road-trippers with everything from surf coasts and alpine passes to red deserts and rainforest, all on quiet, well-maintained roads.
Australia’s sheer scale makes the car or campervan the natural way to travel, whether you are chasing the coast or venturing into the outback, while compact New Zealand crams an astonishing variety of landscapes into short, unforgettable drives. Campervan hire is easy and hugely popular throughout the region.
These are the drives worth building a trip around.
Oceania's Greatest Drives#
The Great Ocean Road, Australia Australia’s most famous drive traces the wild Victorian coast past the towering limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles. Surf beaches, rainforest waterfalls and koala-filled forests line the route, best savoured over two unhurried days from Melbourne.
South Island Circuit, New Zealand A loop of the South Island strings together fiords, glaciers, turquoise lakes and the Southern Alps in a single, jaw-dropping journey. Link Queenstown, Milford Sound, the West Coast glaciers and Aoraki/Mount Cook, ideally over a week or more.
The Red Centre Way, Australia A desert road trip into Australia’s spiritual heart, taking in the monolith of Uluru, the domes of Kata Tjuta and the gorges of Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnells. The scale, silence and colour of the outback are unforgettable.
Tasmania’s East Coast, Australia A relaxed drive up the island’s sunny east, past the pink granite and white sand of the Bay of Fires and the perfect curve of Wineglass Bay. Fresh oysters, empty beaches and Freycinet National Park are the highlights.
The Pacific Coast Way, Australia Queensland’s coastal run links Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast, Fraser Island and the reef gateways of the tropical north. Endless beaches, rainforest and reef access make it a classic warm-weather journey.
Southern Scenic Route, New Zealand A quieter drive through the deep south, from Queenstown to the Catlins and Dunedin, past waterfalls, sea-lion beaches and windswept coast. It is one of the best places in the country for wildlife.
The Gibb River Road, Australia A rugged 660km 4WD adventure through the ancient Kimberley, crossing rivers and passing hidden gorges and swimming holes. Remote and demanding, it is one of the great outback expeditions.
Great Alpine Road, Australia Australia’s highest sealed road climbs through the Victorian Alps, linking historic gold towns, snowfields and high plains. Cool-climate wineries and mountain scenery make it a rewarding year-round drive.
Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand An easy loop from Auckland into a world of native forest, gold-mining history and idyllic coves like Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach, where you can dig your own thermal spa in the sand.
The Nullarbor, Australia The ultimate outback epic, crossing the vast treeless plain between South and Western Australia, including one of the longest straight stretches of road on earth. It is a rite of passage for the truly adventurous.
The Savannah Way, Australia An epic outback route linking Cairns in Queensland to Broome in Western Australia across the tropical north. It crosses savannah, gorges, thundering waterfalls and remote Aboriginal country. Much of it is a genuine 4WD adventure.
Forgotten World Highway, New Zealand New Zealand’s oldest heritage trail winds 150km through remote North Island back country between Taumarunui and Stratford. It passes bush-clad saddles, a one-lane tunnel and the quirky self-declared ‘Republic of Whangamomona’. It is a wonderfully offbeat drive.