12 Aussie Road Trips That Will Have You Buying a Van Tomorrow

These 12 coastal road trips showcase the absolute BEST of Australia’s coastline.

From tropical rainforests meeting the reef to rugged southern coastlines with turquoise bays, these trips will have you scrolling through facebook van listings:

1) Great Ocean Road (VIC)

There’s a reason this is Australia’s most famous coastal drive! The Great Ocean Road is basically designed for van life.

This route has everything you need: dramatic cliff-top views, heaps of free camping spots, and more pull-offs than you can count.

The coastal scenery changes every few kilometres, from the surf beaches around Torquay to the rainforest gullies near Apollo Bay to those iconic limestone stacks near Port Campbell.

Our favourite stops include:

• Bells Beach — legendary surf break where you can watch the pros (or give it a crack yourself)
• Apollo Bay — perfect basecamp with good coffee, fresh seafood, and a cracker beachfront
• Twelve Apostles — yeah it’s touristy, but sunrise here in a van is something else
• Loch Ard Gorge — hands down our favourite spot on the whole coast, the geology here is insane

Here’s a detailed Great Ocean Road guide with a 3-day itinerary that covers all the best free camps and hidden beaches!

The entire route is sealed and dead easy in a 2WD van. Best time to go is October through April when the weather’s warmer and you can actually enjoy swimming at the beaches.

Winter can be moody (which is beautiful in its own way), but you’ll want a van with good heating! We reckon autumn is the sweet spot, fewer crowds and still decent weather.

2) Sydney to Byron Bay (NSW)

Endless surf beaches, that laid-back coastal vibe, and some of the best beachside camping in the country!

Don’t miss these spots:

• Seal Rocks — uncrowded surf breaks and Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse for sunset
• Coffs Harbour — Big Banana aside, the beaches here are beautiful and way less busy than you’d expect
• Byron Bay — it’s touristy now, but Cape Byron at sunrise still hits different

Give yourself at least 7-10 days for this one. It’s all sealed roads so any 2WD van will do the job perfectly.

September through May is ideal. Summer can get pretty busy around Byron but thats ok if you like a bit of socialising.

We spent nearly three weeks doing this route and honestly could’ve taken longer!

3) Perth to Broome (WA)

Perth to Broome is proper adventure territory, with red dirt, turquoise water, whale sharks, and roads so empty you’ll forget other people exist.

This is Western Australia at its finest. The further north you go, the more remote it gets, and the more you’ll appreciate having your accommodation with you.

Coral Bay and Exmouth are absolute highlights, swimming with whale sharks and manta rays, snorkelling right off the beach, and camping under stars.

The unmissable stops:

• Coral Bay — tiny town, massive reef, and some of the easiest snorkelling access in Australia
• Exmouth and Cape Range — Turquoise Bay lives up to its name, trust us
• Karijini National Park — it’s inland, but those gorges are too good to skip!
• Broome — Cable Beach sunsets and dinosaur footprints, need we say more?

You’ll want 14-21 days minimum for this epic journey. While the main highway is sealed and doable in a 2WD, we reckon a 4WD is worth it for all the incredible side trips (and there are heaps).

May to September is the only time to go, summer up there is cyclone season and hotter than you can imagine. Dry season is absolutely perfect though, with blue skies every single day.

4) Adelaide to Perth via the Nullarbor (SA/WA)

The Nullarbor is the ultimate van life pilgrimage.

Long empty stretches, cliff-top camps with whales breaching below, and the longest straight road in Australia…

Don’t let anyone tell you the Nullarbor is boring. Sure, there’s a lot of driving, but the coastal section along the Great Australian Bight is absolutely mind-blowing.

Key stops along the way:

• Coffin Bay — fresh oysters straight from the water, and stunning national park beaches
• Ceduna — last proper town before the Nullarbor, stock up here
• Head of Bight — whale watching from June to October, absolutely unmissable
• Esperance — reward yourself at the end with some of Australia’s best beaches

Our detailed Adelaide to Perth road trip guide covers everything, but know that this will properly test your van’s self-sufficiency (and your own!).

5) Tasmania’s East Coast (TAS)

Tasmania’s east coast is hands down one of our favourite places to explore in a van.

What we love about Tassie’s east coast is how quiet it is compared to the mainland. The beaches rival anything you’d find up north, but with way fewer people.

The water’s bloody cold, but that just makes you appreciate it more when you take the plunge! Don’t skip these spots:

• Freycinet National Park — Wineglass Bay is worth the hype, but also explore Honeymoon Bay and Sleepy Bay
• Bay of Fires — those orange rocks against white sand and blue water… chef’s kiss
• Bicheno — penguin watching at dusk and brilliant fish and chips
• Maria Island — take the ferry over for the day, the wildlife is incredible

November through April is ideal, summer is warmest, but shoulder season has fewer tourists and still decent weather for hiking. Pack warm clothes regardless; Tassie weather can change quickly!

Check our detailed Tassie east coast itinerary for the route we recommend and best free camps!

6) Coral Coast WA (WA)

The Coral Coast is Western Australia’s photographer’s dream.

The route goes from Perth to Kalbarri, and it’s full of incredible natural wonders! These are some essential stops along the way:

• The Pinnacles — limestone pillars rising from yellow sand, here’s our full guide for visiting
• Geraldton — brilliant cafe scene and HMAS Sydney memorial overlooking the ocean
• Kalbarri — coastal cliffs and inland gorges, both absolutely spectacular
• Monkey Mia — hand-feed wild dolphins on the beach
• Shell Beach — literally made of billions of tiny shells

Allocate 7-10 days minimum for this. The route is all sealed and perfect for 2WD vans, and the best time to go is April through October (summer up here is scorching).

Our Perth to Kalbarri itinerary covers our recommended route, camping spots, and more!

7) Perth To Esperance (WA)

When it comes to beaches, Esperance is our favourite destination in ALL of Australia. The white sand, the insane turquoise water, and the remote feel are hard to match…

This stretch of WA’s south coast is absolutely world-class, every beach seems to outdo the last one!

The landscape shifts from tropical-looking turquoise bays to rugged granite coastlines, and every campsite feels like you’ve discovered something secret.

Must-visit spots include:

• Twilight Beach — one of our favourite beaches in the area, with beautiful turquoise waters.
• Lucky Bay — the beach kangaroos are iconic!
• Bremer Bay — orcas from December to April, plus stunning turquoise beaches year-round
• Albany — dramatic coastal peaks, moving history at the ANZAC Centre, and The Gap is spectacular.

Main roads are sealed and fine for 2WD, though 4WD is recommended for some of the better beach camping spots in Cape Le Grand and Fitzgerald River National Parks.

Our detailed Perth to Esperance itinerary maps out the whole route, recommended stays, and more!

8) Eyre Peninsula Loop (SA)

While everyone else is doing the Great Ocean Road, you can have the Eyre Peninsula’s secluded beaches, incredible seafood, and wildlife encounters basically to yourself!

The Eyre Peninsula feels wonderfully off-the-beaten-path. The coastline is rugged and beautiful, the camping is brilliant (heaps of beachfront spots), and the seafood is ridiculously fresh.

This is slow-paced van life at its finest, where you can spend entire days just exploring empty beaches and spotting wildlife.

Our favourite stops:

• Coffin Bay — unreal beaches, fresh oysters, and brilliant national park camping
• Port Lincoln — swim with sea lions or cage dive with great whites if you’re game
• Elliston — those cliff-top sculptural walks are something else at sunset
• Streaky Bay — beautiful waterfront camping and some of the clearest water around

Give yourself 7-10 days to really explore properly without rushing. Most roads are sealed and fine for 2WD, though a 4WD opens up some cracker beach camping spots.

October through May is the best window. Summer can get hot but the water’s perfect, and autumn weather is absolutely beautiful. We spent 10 days here and wished we’d allowed more time!

9) Cairns to Cape Tribulation (QLD)

This tropical coastal drive is something special, with jungle camping literally metres from pristine beaches, and more waterfalls and swimming holes than you can hit in one trip.

The Daintree is the world’s oldest rainforest, and driving through it in a van feels like you’ve entered another world entirely.

Just remember, these are croc waters, so swimming is limited to designated spots!

Our top spots include:

• Port Douglas — gorgeous town with Four Mile Beach and the best coffee before heading into the Daintree
• Mossman Gorge — crystal-clear water and those massive boulders make for excellent swimming
• Cape Tribulation — proper jungle vibes, with beach and rainforest walks right from camp
• Thornton Beach — one of the quieter beaches where the rainforest actually meets the sand

Plan for 3-5 days, though you could easily stretch it longer if you’re into hiking and wildlife spotting.

The sealed road is fine for 2WD vans, but if you want to explore some of the 4WD tracks in the area, you’ll need something with higher clearance.

May through October is THE time to visit. It’s dry season, so less rain and no stingers in the water!

10) Mid North Coast NSW (NSW)

If Byron Bay’s crowds aren’t your thing, the Mid North Coast offers all the surf, beaches, and coastal camping without the tourist hordes.

This is NSW’s quieter alternative. It’s still beautiful and brilliant for van life, just way more chilled out.

Port Stephens through to Forster is genuinely underrated. The beaches here are pristine, the surf breaks are uncrowded, and you’ll spot dolphins pretty much everywhere you look.

Sand dunes at Stockton are massive (you can do 4WD and sandboarding tours), and the oysters in this region rival anywhere in Australia. Plus, camping options are abundant and way cheaper than further north.

Our recommended stops:

• Port Stephens — dolphin cruises, massive sand dunes, and gorgeous Shoal Bay
• Hawks Nest — quiet beaches and brilliant fishing, proper relaxed vibes
• Seal Rocks — world-class surf break and the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse camp
• Forster — twin towns with Tuncurry, beautiful water, and excellent fish and chips

Give yourself 4-6 days to properly enjoy it without rushing. Sealed roads throughout so 2WD is fine, though 4WD opens up some excellent dune camping at Stockton.

September through May is ideal. Summer gets busy (but nothing like Byron), and the water’s warm enough for swimming. We reckon this is one of the best value coastal road trips in NSW!

11) Sunshine Coast to Fraser Island (QLD)

Fraser Island is the holy grail for 4WD van owners.

Beach driving on the world’s largest sand island combined with inland lakes, shipwrecks, and rainforest growing on sand… it’s truly unique.

Fraser Island is where van life gets adventurous. The entire eastern beach becomes a highway at low tide, and camping right on the beach with the waves crashing is an experience you won’t forget.

Lake McKenzie’s pure white silica sand and crystal-clear water will blow your mind, it’s like someone photoshopped a tropical pool into the middle of a sand island.

Must-see spots include:

• Noosa — beautiful national park walks and the best breakfast spots on the coast
• Rainbow Beach — the launching point for Fraser, with stunning coloured sands
• Lake McKenzie — the freshwater is so pure you can open your eyes underwater
• Maheno Shipwreck — iconic photo spot and a piece of history rusting on the beach

You’ll need 5-7 days and a proper 4WD van for this one, no exceptions for Fraser Island. Air your tyres down, get a permit, and watch the tide charts like a hawk.

April to October is ideal, there’s less rain, cooler temperatures, and fewer visitors. Summer can get packed and the heat is intense.

12) Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory (VIC)

This is the perfect weekend escape for anyone based in Melbourne, but honestly, it deserves way more than just a weekend.

Wilsons Prom has beaches, granite mountains, and wildlife so abundant you’ll be tripping over wombats at your campsite (literally).

The beaches are pristine, the hiking is world-class, and camping at Tidal River means waking up to kangaroos and kookaburras right outside your van.

Top spots to hit:

• Phillip Island — penguins at sunset and brilliant surf beaches on the way
• Squeaky Beach — massive granite boulders and that famous squeaky sand
• Mount Oberon Summit — sunrise hike for views over the whole peninsula
• Whisky Bay — remote beach accessible only by foot, absolutely worth the walk

Plan for at least 3-4 days, though you could easily spend a week exploring all the beaches and hikes. It’s all sealed roads so any 2WD van works perfectly.

November through April is warmest, but the Prom is beautiful year-round we reckon autumn is particularly gorgeous.

Book your Tidal River camping spot well in advance, it’s hugely popular with good reason!