Manheim’s top summer road trip guide for 2019 – Part Two!
February 21, 2019
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Australian road sign. You get used to those distances.
Last week we gave you some of our best road trip secrets for the south-east part of Australia. Now it is time to discover the states that cover the most amount of land!
Western Australia
So WA is a big part of the country! To drive to the top from the bottom would take you days, so we have a few road trips you can take out of Perth, some longer than others and some you need some time off work to see this beautiful part of Australia.
Close to the city is Swan Valley (around 25 mins) and offers a lot in the way of food, wine and art. So close to the city and a good day out!
Rows of Cabernet Sauvignon Vines growing in Western Australia’s Swan Valley wine area just outside of Perth.
Or if you want to travel a little further you can head to the Lancelin Sand Dunes, travel down these massive sand dunes or admire the beauty. Then travel on further to The Pinnacles Desert, a desert only 2 and a half hours away from the city.
Sand dunes at dusk in Western Australia.
Head south to Margaret River and enjoy the beautiful beaches as well as the Mammoth Cave, or continue onto the Valley of the Giants – a tree top walk. Just 45 minutes from there is the beautiful coastal town, Denmark.
Composite shot of the Pinnacles in Western Australia, an eerie landscape littered with limestone columns.
Continue on and around 7.5 hours from Perth is Spence Lake or Pink Lake, famous for being pink in colour.
Aerial view of Pink lake and coastline of Rottnest Island in Australia. Scenic flight over famous tourist destination of Western Australia. Rottnest Island is located near Fremantle and Perth.
Want to see the famous Wave Rock? Seen in loads of Australian tourism advertisement, this can be found only 4 hours from Perth!
Wave rock at sunset, Western Australia, Australia.
But if that isn’t enough for you, head north, like way north and find Shark Bay – around 9 hours away – or go that extra mile or more, well a lot more and go to Broome, Kununurra or Derby! WA has a lot to offer.
Northern Territory
There is more to NT than Uluru (which is a 21hr drive from Darwin), although that is definitely a great and highly recommended road trip, we have more to share.
Uluru, AUSTRALIA – July 4, 2015: Uluru at Sunset
If you want to keep it local from Darwin, you can take on some day trips to places like Berry Springs, Howard Springs or Humpty Doo. Go for bush walks, enjoy nature or see some crocs.
If you want to go a little further, Litchfield is a great place for camping and has beautiful waterfalls, or Adelaide River, which is a site to the only Australian war cemetery on Australian soil. Both of those are just over an hour out of Darwin.
A beautiful tranquil scene with waterfalls photographed at dawn. The Florence Falls in Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory, Australia.
To see more of the outback head to Pine Creek or Katherine, which are a few more hours out. Katherine also has hot springs to enjoy. For thermal springs, you can drive 4 and a half hours from Darwin to Matteranka.
The beautiful Edith Falls in Australia’s Nitmiluk National Park.
But if you want to see Uluru, you have to drive to Alice Springs, which is a 16-hour drive through the desert. Along the way stop at Tenant Creek, the famous Daly Waters Pub and maybe even the Devil’s Marbles.
Devils Marbles natural rock formation in the outback of Australia, Northern Territory
Northern Territory has a lot of amazing sites to see, some close but some will take a few days of outback driving so be prepared!
Queensland
Well QLD is a big state, so to cover it will take a whole blog on its own, just like WA. Manheim have sites in Townsville and Brisbane so our team members have helped provide some good road trips in these areas!
Aerial view of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia
From Townsville to Cairns will take you just over 4 hours but it will be worth it! Stop in at Mission beach or Hinchinbrook Island, but really the scenery along the way will be enough to wow you, it is alongside the Great Barrier Reef which is part of the seven wonders of the natural world.
Or if you’re looking for an outback adventure, the drive to Longreach is around 8 hours from Townsville.
Now, if you are in Brisbane, you can road trip to the Gold Coast, which will take around an hour. But if you are looking for something a little different, we have you covered.
Springbrook National Park, Gold Coast, Australia
For hiking and outdoor adventures, head an hour out of the city to Glasshouse Mountains and Mount Glorious or to Mount Tamborine for beautiful waterfalls, rainforest skywalks and glow worm caves. A little further from Brisbane, around 2 hours, you can enjoy more waterfalls at Springbrook National Park.
Long exposure shot of a waterfall in Springbrook national park in Queensland, Australia. Landscape with rocks and green plants.
But if you want to experience the amazing coastline, you can drive three hours down the coast to North Stradbroke Island – you need to get on a ferry to get there. Or for a boat ‘sea trip’ you can explore Moreton Island, Tangalooma for stunning beaches!
Stunning view of the beach in Mission Beach, Cassowary Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. White sand beach, crystal clear water and palm trees along the beach.
Queensland has a lot to offer from the beach to the mountains and even the outback, you won’t be disappointed!
These three states will provide you with a lot of land to cover, you need days to see different areas, but you won’t be disappointed with the scenery along the way. Next stop, we take a look at New Zealand.
Surf Spots, Cylinder Beach, North Stradbroke Island. QLD Australia
Need a new car for all those road trips you will take this summer and leading into all the public holidays coming up? Well, we have you covered! Go to www.manheim.com.au for all our cars on offer!
