CITY TO CITY DRIVING TOURS

Adventure Drives
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Sydney to Brisbane - (965 km North)

Route 1
Highway 1 or the Pacific Coast Touring Route showcases the very best of Australia. Visitors should take a few days to enjoy the combination of magnificent coastline with spectacular hinterland. Drive along the scenic Central Coast then on to Newcastle, a maritime city. Make a side trip to Port Stephen offering white beaches, crystal clear waters and natural bushland. Continue to Port MacQuarie (385 km/5 hours) a resort town and an ideal place to stay overnight.

Head on to Coffs Harbour, in banana growing country (159 km/2.5 hours) then continue to Byron Bay, Australia's most easterly point and enjoy the magnificent scenery from the lighthouse. Drive across the border into Queensland and the Gold Coast, famous for its superb surfing beaches and continue on to Brisbane. (423 km/6 hours)

Route 2
Follow Highway 1to Newcastle, then turn inland on Highway 15, skirting the Hunter Region and passing through rural towns. Stay overnight at Tamworth (416 km/6 hours) known as the country music capital of Australia. Continue on to Armidale, a university town (111 km/2 hours) then cross the border from New South Wales to Warwick (305 km/5.5 hours) and on to Brisbane. (158 km/3 hours)

Brisbane to Cairns - (1,716 km North)

The Pacific Coast Touring Routs (Highway 1) follows the Sunshine Coast, passing the Glass House Mountains and through a pineapple-growing district. Turn off Highway 1 for Coolum Beach and Noosa Heads (130 km/2 hours) with its beaches and National Park. Back on the highway you pass rolling countryside around Maryborough, the ideal stepping-off point to Fraser Island; before Rockhampton (506 km/7.5 hours.)

Spend a night in Mackay (334 km/5 hours) or head out to the coastal towns of Airlie Beach or Shute Harbour - gateway to the magnificent Whitsundays (128 km/2 hours.) Spend a few days exploring the islands and the Great Barrier Reef aboard a sailing boat. Continue to tropical Townsville (272 km/4 hours) then pass rainforest areas, Mission Beach and on to Cairns (346 km/6 hours)

Sydney to Melbourne - (1,126 km South)

Route 1
Leave Sydney on the M5 motorway that leads to Highway 31 through the Southern Highlands. Join Highway 23 for Canberra, the nations' capital (286 km/3 hours) then Cooma, gateway to the Snowy Mountains (118 km/2.5 hours.) Just past Cooma, follow Highway 18 to Bega, in dairy country, to join Highway 1 to Merimbula, a coastal resort (148 km/2.5 hours.) Highway 1 continues through the former whaling town of Eden in southern New South Wales, on to Victoria's Gippsland district, then to Lakes Entrance (235 km/3.5 hours.) After Sale choose the coastal South Gippsland Highway to Melbourne. (339 km/4.5 hours)

Route 2
Follow the coast from Sydney on Highway 1, passing through the Royal National Park and on to the regional city of Wollongong. The route continues through pretty seaside resorts such as Kiama, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay and Narooma to Bega, and continue on to Melbourne with Route 1 as shown above.

Melbourne to Adelaide - (945 km West)

Route 1
Follow Highway 1 along Port Phillip Bay to Geelong. Take a side trip to Queenscliff, renowned for its grand Victorian architecture. Back on Highway 1, continue south and join the Great Ocean Road that winds its way along the rugged coastline of the Shipwreck Coast, passing spectacular surf-battered cliffs and sandy beaches. Spend the night at Warrnambool, or Port Fairy, a pretty fishing village a little further on (300 km/4.5 hours,) then continue to Portland (68 km/1 hours).

From there take the coastal route through Lower Glenelg National Park to Mount Gambier, with its crater lakes (100 km/ 1.5 hours.) Drive through farming country to Millicent, then take the coast route and drive through Beachport, Robe and Kingston (180 km/3 hours). Rejoin Highway 1, passing through Coorong National Park to Adelaide. (297 km/5 hours)

Route 2
Follow through Route 1 until Portland, then stay with Highway 1 to Mount Gambier. Continue then with Route 1 through to Adelaide.

Adelaide to Perth - (2,706 km West)

Route 1
Follow Highway 1 to Port Augusta and on to Cedunna (777 km/10 hours) Stay overnight, then follow the highway, passing tiny settlements. Enjoy the views of the coastline and stop at the Head of Bight when you can observe Southern Right Whales in season (from June to October.) Travel through the vast expanse of the Nullarbor Plain and take time to view the interpretive facility at Border Village providing information on the flora, fauna and history of the region. (428 km/7 hours.)

Over the state border you'll pass Eucia and Cocklebiddy, known for its cave and the Eyre Bird Observatory, before arriving at Norseman (726 km/10 hours. From there head north on Highway 94 to see the gold towns of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie (166 km/2.5 hours) then continue on to Perth.)

Route 2
Take the Alternative Lincoln and Flinders Highway 1 to Ceduna following the Eyre Peninsula. Continue then with Route 1 until Norseman and stay on Highway 1 to Esperance and follow the coastal route, visiting national parks, farming and wine growing regions on the way to Perth.

Adelaide to Alice Springs - (1533 km North-West)

Route 1
From Adelaide, take Highway 1 north through the Clare Valley and wine country. Stay overnight and enjoy the superb food and excellent wines in this area. Continue on to Port Augusta (310 km/3.5 hours.) Join Highway 87 (Stuart Highway) passing colourful landscape on the way to the opal-mining town of Coober Pedy (540 km/7 hours) and stay overnight in an underground hotel.

Continue on to Eridunda (484 km/6 hours) where the highway branches off to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (262 km/3 hours.) Stay at Ayers Rock and spend a few days exploring Ayers Rock/Uluru and Mount Olga/Kata Tjuta. Rejoin the highway and continue to Alice Springs.

Route 2
Take Route 1 until Ayers Rock/Uluru and then travel on Mereenie Loop Road which links Ayers Rock and Alice Springs via the West MacDonnell Ranges and Kings Canyon. Turn left on Larapinta Highway to Luritja Road that leads to Watarrka National Park. Walk to the rim of Kings Canyon and visit the Lost City and the Garden of Eden. Continue of the Mereenie Loop and visit Palm Valley and Finke Gorge National Park then join up with Namatjira Drive to Alice Springs.

(Although high-clearance conventional vehicles can manage this road, it is best accomplished in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. A permit to travel through Aboriginal land is required and can be obtained from the Kings Canyon Resort, Hermannsburg, or the Central Australia Visitors Centre in Alice Springs. Stopping or side trips are not allowed on the Mereenie Loop Road!)

Alice Springs to Darwin - (1,489 km North)

Follow highway 87 to Barrow Creek, then on to the gold-mining town of Tennant Creek (506 km/6.5 hours.) Continue through cattle country to Mataranka with its Thermal Springs (568 km/7 hours.) then on to Katherine, gateway to Katherine Gorge in the Nitmiluk National Park. Here visit the Cutta Cutta Caves, Edith Falls and on to Gregory National Park and Manyallaluk (112 km/1.5 hours.) Continue north on Highway 1, passing historical Pine Creek and the town of Adelaide Rive to Darwin (312 km/4 hours)