How to plan the ultimate campervanning adventure through Australia

15.11.2023 - 14:43 / nationalgeographic.com

As road trip destinations go, there are few better places than Australia. Nature seems to flow in through the windows in eucalyptus-scented gusts as you drive, while the wonders of the great red continent unfurl beyond the windscreen. 

Koalas munch on gum leaves in the tall trees, while kangaroos bound carefree along the roadside. Come the evening, chirruping cicadas and croaking frogs surround you. In the morning, the birds seem to serenade the returning sun, with the fluting notes of magpies and the mischievous cackles of kookaburras.

A campervan gives you the freedom to change your route and stop whenever and wherever you wish — at every farmers’ market, cellar door, viewpoint and watering hole. Along the country’s southern coast, you can trace the curves of sheer cliffs beside sapphire waters, explore dynamic cities and learn about First Australian cultures that stretch back over 50,000 years. To the west, one of the world’s remotest cities is the first step to tasting fine local dishes and world-leading wines, and to meeting one of the continent’s most charismatic ambassadors: the smiley marsupial known as the quokka.

When it’s time to settle down for the night, there are abundant campsites, holiday parks and national parks. Immerse yourself fully in some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes while you rest. Choose to rise early, and your footprints can be the day’s first on white sand beaches. But in a campervan, there’s no schedule to keep, and you can sleep in if you wish. Ahead lies the prospect of new adventures and the freedom of the open road. 

Some of Australia’s most extraordinary scenery lies along its southeast coast, from vertiginous sea cliffs to golden beaches. 

The best place to start is Melbourne, where avant-garde art and eye-popping architecture meet a devoted coffee culture. Then head around 80 minutes west to Torquay, gateway to fabled scenic route the Great Ocean Road.This remarkable feat of engineering stretches 150 miles west along Victoria’s coastal fringes, as far as the town of Allansford. White-knuckled, it clings to limestone cliffs ribboned with foamy surf. 

Along the way, the road curves through surfer towns known for produce such as southern rock lobsters. It swoops inland, into the dense rainforest of the Great Otway National Park, then out past the Twelve Apostles rock formation that looms offshore.

Beyond lies the Limestone Coast, where an intriguing network of caves and the Coonawarra wine country await. 

1. Melbourne
The Manhattan-like skyline is deceptive: beneath are Victorian train stations. This is Australia’s cultural heart, with Federation Square and adjacent lanes acting as galleries for street art. Elsewhere, you’ll discover modern masterpieces in