Top 5 Australian Touring Destinations

The five Australian touring destinations every adventurous traveller should aim to do at least once. From the picturesque Kimberley to the iconic Simpson Desert, the legendary Fraser Island to the alpine playground of the Vic High Country to the surprisingly wild Blue Mountains. Different trips, different difficulty levels, different parts of the country — but all unmissable. At a Glance Focus Top Australian caravan + RV touring routes Routes covered 5 iconic touring routes Spans Cross-continent + regional · all states Trip length 3–6 weeks per route Best season Route-dependent · plan around wet/cyclone seasons Vehicle Tow-rated 4WD or motorhome + caravan/camper trailer Cost ballpark $5,000–$20,000+ depending on duration + style Booking Caravan parks 6+ months ahead in peaks; Hipcamp + free camps flexible Photo by Chris Gresham-Britt on Unsplash 1. The Kimberley — picturesque expedition A long way from anywhere, but the long transport is worth it. Arguably the most picturesque of all "must-see" destinations — remarkably similar to South Africa (hence the name). Famous for stunningly beautiful gorges. Home to the iconic Gibb River Road (mild these days, but inevitably dusty). Don't miss Cape Leveque — just up the road from pearl city Broome. The image of glittering white sand, glistening turquoise water, bold red cliffs against cerulean sky burns into your brain forever Other highlights: El Questro Wilderness Park, Mitchell Falls, Bell Gorge, Tunnel Creek, Geikie Gorge, Purnululu (Bungle Bungles) Best season: autumn-spring (April-October). Summer = The Big Wet — most things become a mammoth undertaking Vehicle: 4WD essential for off-Gibb destinations; conventional + caravan ok for the main highways Plan: 4-6 weeks minimum to do justice; 2-3 months ideal Photo: Dylan Shaw / Unsplash 2. Victorian High Country Right on Melbournians' doorstep, but reachable for Sydneysiders + Adelaideans too. Variety of memorable experiences — civilised pubs + wineries through to white-knuckle 4WD challenges. History buffs: magnificent heritage of cattlemen's huts (Wallaces, Bluff, Pikes, Craigs) Photographers: speccy alpine scenery + autumn colour Hard-core 4WDers: Wonnangatta Station access, Billy Goats Bluff, Blue Rag — tracks that demand every milligram of skill Soft-tourers: visit Yackandandah (National Trust classified), Bright (autumn breathtaking), Beechworth, Mt Buller cellar doors Avoid winter — many tracks closed Plan: long weekend or full week — covers most of it 3. Fraser Island (K'gari) The largest sand island in the world. Mecca for fishermen + families. You really need a 4WD just to get off the barge — the sand is extremely soft + churned up. Be warned: very popular spot — isolation isn't on offer Highlights: whales cruising offshore (June-October), spectacular freshwater lakes (Lake McKenzie + Lake Wabby), rock pools, Maheno shipwreck, dingo sightings The Aboriginal name K'gari means "paradise" — discovered by Captain Cook 1770, named for Eliza Fraser (shipwrecked + lived with local Aboriginals) Camping: book ahead via QLD Parks Vehicle: 4WD with snorkel + recovery gear Plan: 5-7 days minimum Photo: Dylan Shaw / Unsplash 4. Simpson Desert — must-do crossing The last of Australia's deserts to be fully explored, the Simpson is well within reach of any modern, high-clearance 4WD. You must be COMPLETELY self-sufficient — more than enough food, fuel, water for the journey. Routes: QAA + French Lines + Rig Road — all built by 1960s oil/gas exploration teams. QAA/French is the most direct + the standard crossing 1100 dunes between Birdsville + Mt Dare — side tracks if the bigger ones daunt you NOT trailer country — inexperienced towers chop up the dunes ruining them for everyone Best season: spring + autumn. Bitterly cold winter nights; summer travel officially prohibited Plan: 4-7 days for the crossing + 2-3 days each side for travel to Birdsville/Mt Dare 5. Blue Mountains — surprise wild The Blue Mountains have an undeserved reputation as purely tourist-y. Understandable — Three Sisters + the Scenic Railway draw millions. But there's a serious adventurous side. Even tourist-style destinations like the Lost City near Lithgow can be exciting via the more demanding tracks Mount Airlie out of Capertee — bring your skills Glow Worm Tunnel at Newnes — family-friendly highlight Accommodation: bush camps to six-star resorts Hour or so out of Sydney — easiest of the big-five for most Aussies Don't miss: high tea at the Carrington Hotel in Katoomba — like travelling back in time Plan: long weekend covers the highlights; full week to explore properly Plan your trip — browse Campsite Explorer Heading to one of these touring destinations? Use our Campsite Explorer to find current campsite options along the route. Open Campsite Explorer → Useful resources + booking links Bookings — NSW NPWS: nationalparks.nsw.gov.au Bookings — Parks Victoria: parks.vic.gov.au Bookings — QLD Parks: parks.des.qld.gov.au Bookings — Parks SA: parks.sa.gov.au Bookings — WA Parks (DBCA): parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au Bookings — Parks Tasmania: parks.tas.gov.au Bookings — NT Parks: nt.gov.au/parks Weather + warnings (BoM): bom.gov.au Leave No Trace Australia: lnt.org.au Hipcamp Australia (private land): hipcamp.com/en-AU Our take Five destinations, five different Australias. Tick them off over years rather than rushing. The Blue Mountains is the easy intro; the Vic High Country is the next-step adventure; Fraser Island is the iconic family expedition; the Simpson is the desert milestone; the Kimberley is the great culmination. By the time you've done all five you'll be a properly-experienced Aussie tourer — and you'll have stories that fill the bar for the rest of your life. Shop Touring Gear

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