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Australia: recommended routes

You're going to want to make your trip to Australia your own, no two people want to do exactly the same thing, but it never hurts to have a look at what other people have down. Below you'll find routes recommended by Tom Griffiths, founder of gapyear.com, and by Toria Letts, our Australia Editor

Tom's best bits

East Coast

1 - Byron Bay - seeing dolphins, camping by the beach, surfing, cool place to hang out

2 - Whitsunday Islands - we moored in the lagoon behind Whitehaven Beach for two nights, catching our own fish and cooking them on a fire on the beach

3 - Fraser Island - the largest sand island in the world, saw real dingos and drove along the Beach Highway

4 - Tully River (near Cairns) - did an awesome rafting trip and I still have the photos on my wall!

5 - Cairns AJ Hackett bungy - I had waited just over four years to do my first bungy and ended up doing four in one day (forwards, two backwards and the last one which made me crap myself - feet first!). It was better than I imagined. To give myself a buzz I can still close my eyes and remember how I felt

Red Centre

6 - Sleeping out overnight under the stars having just eaten bread we cooked in a bucket under the fire ('damper')...accompanied by some cold beer...as we watched the sun go down behind Ayers Rock. Need I say any more?

7 - Climbing Ayers Rock in the dark at 5.30am (didn’t enjoy that bit - it’s massive!) to be at the top when the sun came up. Amazing - literally nothing as far as the eye can see

8 - Kings Canyon - have never been to the Grand Canyon, didn’t know this existed - amazing place!

9 - Alice Springs - a town literally in the ass end of nowhere. Awesome place

West Coast

10 - Perth is a really cool city with loads going on and loads of great beaches / good surf close by

(as we only really did around Perth, the next four are the best bits that everyone else says)

11 - The Ningaloo Reef - as good as the Great Barrier Reef, but with hardly any people on it (no flippers in the face and rushed timeslot reef visits)

12 - Bungle Bungles - Helen Daniels on Neighbours always talked about them. Amazing!

13 - Pinnacles - bizarre rock formations on a massive beach that Billy Connolly famously danced naked around

14 - Monkey Mia - bit of a tourist trap, but the dolphins come up to the beach daily so you can paddle amongst them

Northern Territory

15 - Darwin - loads of cool aboriginal stuff around and maybe a croc in the high street!

16 - Kakadu and Lichfield National Parks - to see Crocodile Dundee country from ground level and to see crocs bigger than buses (well, not quite) from pant-wetting distance

17 - Katherine Gorge - it’s got more bats than an over-stocked cricket warehouse and river trips from where you will take photos that will bore people for years

18 - Eating crocodile - the one that annoyed someone - great with plum sauce, tastes like chicken (everything does!)

19 - Finally mastering the didgeridoo from my aboriginal teacher, Barry!

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Recommended Route - Melbourne to Darwin
by Victoria Letts

If you want to experience the different climatic zones of Australia, start in the cooler regions of the south, and head up to the humid tropics of the north.

Melbourne - go to the Rialto Towers, the tallest office building in the southern hemisphere. For $11.80 you can get the lift to the top and see a stunning view over Melbourne city. Go at sunset when the colours are amazing.

Adelaide - if you’re stopping here spend an evening strolling along Rundle Street where the bars and shoe shops should keep you occupied for hours! If you’re feeling cultural, the free Adelaide museum is worth a look - loads of aboriginal artifacts and history.


The Flinders Ranges - this is officially the start of the Southern Outback and definitely worth a visit. Try and spend of couple of days here, and do some outback walking. The air is pure, and the landscape impressive. 

The Oonadatta Track - do not miss this if it’s the real Australia you’ve come to see. If you have plenty of time and can handle the corrugated un-sealed road this is the best route to take up north, through the immense expanse of dry desert. A two-wheel drive car will be fine along the track, as long as you take it steady. Make sure you send a postcard from William Creek - the most isolated settlement in Australia, population ten, and stop beside the salty Lake Eyre.

The Red Centre - believe the hype about this place, and make sure you explore it. Take the six mile walk around Uluru, marvel at the colourful sunsets, check out the Olgas and climb up Kings Canyon! 

Alice Springs - worth a stop to take the quick climb up Anzac hill, where there is a good view of Heavytree Gap. Todd Mall is a pleasant shopping area, but better to spend your time heading directly west to the MacDonnell Ranges.

Ormiston Gorge - fantastic secluded watering hole in the MacDonnell Ranges, with a sandy beach and great rock formations. If there aren’t too many screaming kids about go for a swim.

Wallace Rockhole - if you need somewhere to camp, come here deep in the heart of the MacDonnell Ranges. Wallace Rockhole is a small aboriginal settlement (pop. 150) and can be reached by a long sandy road. Definitely go on the one hour bushland tour with Ken Porter - very knowledgeable about aboriginal ways and ancestors. You get to see aboriginal paintings and hold a big witchetty grub!

The Harts Ranges - stop at Gemtree Caravan Park, a good little camping spot (apart from the flies!) and if you’re up for some hard graft go on one of their gem digging tours - Zircons or Garnets. You are guaranteed to unearth some precious stones, which they can cut and set in jewelry if you want. A good souvenir directly from the earth of Australia!

Devils Marbles - as you’re passing, stop and take some photos of these unusual rock formations, thought by ancient aborigines to be the eggs of the creator rainbow serpent.

Katherine - stop here to visit the gorges, 13 in all. If you’re feeling fit hire a canoe for half a day and row to the beginning of the second gorge. Also head to Katherine Hot Springs - a natural public swimming pool where you can cool off from the tropical heat.

Kakadu National Park - I cannot stress enough how much you really must go and see this place. Do not miss it!! The landscape is totally tropical now and the wildlife and waterfalls make for an amazing few days. Tickets are $16.25 and are valid for a week. Go to Gunlum Falls for a swim in the cooling pools (take note of the crocodile warning), visit the aboriginal rock paintings at Nourlangie Rock and Ubirr (Crocodile Dundee country!) and make sure you stay in the rustic hostel at Cooinda. Don't leave without taking a cruise on the Yellow Waters (dry season) to see the many birds, fauna and crocodiles that happen to be about that day. (I recommend the early morning cruise - yes you’ll be sleepy, but the early morning light makes for great photos and the wildlife is more abundant at this time of day.)

Darwin - don’t miss the Mindil Beach Markets every Thursday and Sunday night from April to October. Great exotic food stalls, didgeridoo players and local crafts. Watch the sunset on the beach while drinking a freshly blended smoothie. For somewhere to eat in the centre of Darwin go to ‘Rorkes Drift’ - an English style pub that sells pints of beer and good inexpensive food.