The greatest road shows on earth

Nothing beckons quite like the open road. Whatever style of adventure you are looking for, we have it sorted right here.

Whether you're after a coastal drive with water views at every turn or a journey through dense forests with picture-perfect hills, there's no place like Australia when it comes to iconic road trips. Here are some of the best, and who they suit most.

The Holiday Coast, Newcastle to Coffs Harbour, NSW

Set aside: Six days

Best time: Summer

A car load of happy kids makes for a happy family road trip, and this holiday drive up the NSW mid-north coast delivers plenty of things to see and do that the grown-ups will enjoy just as much. The secret is all about staying off the highway. Kick off with some sand-boarding fun - or a quad bike tour if you have teenagers - in the sand dunes of Worimi National Park just north of Newcastle. Got a Top Gun fan in the back seat? They'll love climbing in the cockpit of a fighter jet at Fighter World at Williamtown and watching the real-life jets take off at the neighbouring RAAF base. There's dolphin and whale watching cruises in Nelson Bay, and lots of koalas at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, including a new sky walk viewing platform and a koala hospital.

Keep the cossies and a towel handy because you'll probably stop for a paddle or a splash in the shallows as you head through Myall Lakes National Park, and there are lots of good swimming spots all the way along the coast between here and Port Macquarie. A favourite is Laurieton, where there are surf beaches as well as sheltered riverside swimming spots.

In the rare chance the kids get sick of getting wet, Port Macquarie also has Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park, camel beach rides, a pram-friendly rainforest walkway in Sea Acres Rainforest Reserve, and a lilly pilly hedge maze at Bago Winery in Wauchope. Hungry? Pick a pail of strawberries at Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries and treat yourself to some scones and jam while you're there.

Back on the road, get off the highway again to visit the ruins of the old sandstone gaol overlooking the sea at Trial Bay in Arakoon National Park near South West Rocks; the sheltered beach here is good for little kids. Hire a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard at Nambucca Boatshed & Cafe and explore the river - it's also a great spot to drop a handline if you fancy catching a fish. No trip with kids along this stretch of coast is complete without a stop at the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour. It's more than just a roadside attraction - there's a water park, toboggan rides and ice skating. Older kids can learn to surf in Coffs; little ones will love the gentle waves of Jetty Beach. Here too, there are dolphin- and whale-watching trips, as well as diving and snorkelling for the over-12s, rainforest walks, platypus-spotting along Coffs Creek, a treetop adventure park and the Dolphin Marine Conservation Park.

The one thing you'll never hear on this road trip is "I'm bored".

TOP EATS: For the best fish and chips, head to the Laurieton Fisherman's Co-op (02 6559 6000) on Mill Street and eat it overlooking the river. For something a little more swish, the Trial Bay Kiosk in Arakoon National Park is licensed and has knock-out views of Trial Bay. trialbaykiosk.com.au

TOP STAYS: Across the road from the beach, Flynns Beach Resort in Port Macquarie has good-value apartments, two pools and a playground. In Coffs Harbour the Big4 Park Beach Holiday Park has cabins, mini golf, a jumping pillow and playground. flynnsbeachresort.com.au; big4.com.au

TOP TIP: A ride on the steam train at Wauchope's Timbertown is perfect for those days when it's not perfect beach weather. timbertown.com.au

EXPLORE MORE: portmacquarieinfo.com.au; coffscoast.com.au

The Gibb River Road, Kununurra to Broome, WA

Set aside: 14 days

Best time: Dry season, May to October

The Kimberley's Gibb River Road is the ultimate road trip adventure. It's remote, rugged, dusty and packed with more OMG moments than you can count. But the real beauty of this trip is that it doesn't matter what type of adventure you're searching for, you'll find on the Gibb. Want to do it in style with luxury lodgings and lauded chefs? No problem, places like El Questro's Homestead, Berkeley River Lodge and Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa have you covered, with million-dollar views, private helicopter tours and price tags to match.

Keen to DIY with your 4WD and pitch a tent? There are station stays, wilderness camps and national park campgrounds all along the route, and most of those have million-dollar views, too. Prefer to let someone else do the driving? You'll find plenty of small-group 4WD tours on offer and Camping with Custodians is a network of campgrounds and First Nations communities, which welcomes travellers eager to learn about the cultural connections the traditional owners have with land, and there is a huge range of cultural tours on offer across the region as well as dozens of rock art galleries and community art centres to visit.

However you decide to do the Gibb, you'll be blown away by the boab-studded savanna lands and weather-beaten ranges where wild rivers tumble over cliffs and wind their way through deep rock gorges that are billions of years old. Hike them, cruise them, or fly over them - they are spectacular every which way you look at them. It's crocodile country, but there are plenty of places to cool off and floating in a waterhole surrounded by rock walls decorated in ancient rock art after a long, hot dusty drive are one of the things that makes this extraordinary part of the world so special.

TOP EATS: The home-made scones at Ellenbrae Station, roughly halfway along the Gibb, are legendary. Any time you see the local threadfin salmon on the menu, order it. Don't leave Broome without trying the pearl meat and prawn tortellini at Cicchetti at the Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa. ellenbraestation.com.au; cablebeachclub.com

TOP STAYS: El Questro, near the Kununurra end of the track, is a destination in its own right with waterfalls, gorges, secluded swimming spots, tours and a range of accommodation, from camping to ultra-luxe. elquestro.com.au

TOP TIP: There's no mobile phone reception on the Gibb; hire a satellite phone for emergencies. satellitehire.com.au

EXPLORE MORE: australiasnorthwest.com

The Great Ocean Road, Torquay to Port Fairy, Victoria

Set aside: Four days

Best time: Any time

Victoria's Great Ocean Road is famous for its seascapes, beaches and top-notch views, but in recent years the drive has become just as celebrated for its food.

You'll get more than just a good meal at restaurants like the new Love House in the Anglesea Surf Life Saving Club and coastal outposts of Melbourne laneway favourites such as Coda in Lorne - both serve up a view as memorable as their modern twists on Asian classics. Combine an organic whole-food sand-beneath-your-toes breakfast with stand up paddle board hire at HAH Lorne Beach, and while the beachside Wye River General Store may look like a shop from the outside, those in the know (mostly locals) know that dishes like avocado with pickled fennel on dark rye or smoky ham and beans turn a brunch into a special occasion.

While the tourist buses have been trundling along the seaside strip, the hinterland has come of age and is now home to some of the country's best places to eat and drink. Top of the list is Brae, rated among one of Australia's best. It's in tiny Birregurra, a 45-minute drive from Lorne along lovely winding road that twists through the rainforest. It's a set menu of 14 or 15 small courses and takes around four hours to eat.

Back on the coast Apollo Bay is famous for its crayfish, and there's no better place to tuck into an affordable lobster lunch than on the deck of the fisherman's co-op at the harbour's edge while keeping an eye out for the resident seal, who likes to laze in the sun at the end of the wharf.

The Great Ocean Road turns inland twisting its way through the magnificent forest-clad Otway Ranges, home to strawberry farms and ice creameries, gin and whiskey distilleries, cheese makers, beer brewers, sourdough bakers and chocolatiers. Download a guide at otwayharvesttrail.org.au for directions to dozens of artisan producers and growers, many who have been farming these lush pasture-covered hills for generations.

The sea stacks and rocky pillars of the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge and Bay of Islands are just down the road but continue heading west to Port Fairy, where even more good food awaits in the historic pubs and bluestone cottages. Start with a glass of wine and some sophisticated snacks at Conlan's Wine Store in an old solicitor's office, then head to the Merrijig Inn - one of the oldest inns in Victoria - for early-evening cocktails in the flower-filled garden and seriously fine food in the atmospheric dining room or cosy front bar.

While you can easily drive the Great Ocean Road in a day, how long you actually take depends on how much you want to eat along the way.

TOP EATS: Book well ahead to secure a table at Brae, but if you can't get in there the scallop pie from the Apollo Bay Bakery is equally renowned. braerestaurant.com; apollobaybakery.com.au

TOP STAYS: Channelling the mid-20th century motel vintage vibe, Anglesea Riverside Motel is a drive-in gem. Stay overnight in one of Brae's beautiful guest suites, reserved just for diners. The attic rooms at Port Fairy's Merrijig Inn are full of old-fashioned charm and the breakfast is a button-busting treat. angleseariversidemotel.com.au; braerestaurant.com; merrijiginn.com

TOP TIP: The 12 Apostles are impressive when viewed from the lookout, but even more dramatic when viewed from the beach at the bottom of Gibson Steps - both vantage points are signposted off the main road.

EXPLORE MORE: visitgreatoceanroad.org.au

The Beach Highway, Noosa to Rainbow Beach and K'gari, Queensland

Set aside: Four days

Best time: August to October is peak whale-watching season

The Great Beach Drive between Noosa's north shore, Rainbow Beach and beyond to K'gari (Fraser Island) via the barge at Inskip Point trumps all other coastal highways when it comes to scenic seaside drives because this road is actually on the beach. There are no line markings or overtaking lanes or even a track, but it is actually a designated road and all the usual road rules apply, including speed limits: 80km per hour on the beach; 50km per hour along beach camping areas. And keep an eye out for sunbathers and fisherfolk at the waters edge.

While it is a 4WD trip it's not a particularly hard one, and is perfect for those who want to feel the sand beneath their wheels for the first time. You will need to check the tide charts before you go though - some sections are impassable at high tide - and keep your tyre pressure low. If you've never driven on sand before and are feeling nervous, there are lots of places you can sign up for some lessons before you go: google "4WD sand driving courses".

It's worth the preparation because this is a truly awesome trip. Highlights include the 50km-long expanse of Teewah Beach, tidal lakes and Rainbow Beach's coloured sands. Throw in one of Australia's most spectacular World Heritage-listed wilderness areas - the rainforest and beautiful freshwater lakes and streams of K'gari - as well as one of the country's best whale-watching spots and you have all the reasons you need to hit the road - or beach, in this case.

TOP EATS: Tuck into some very swish bush tucker at Kingfisher Bay Resort's fine-dining restaurant, Seabelle; if it's closed when you visit you can still join the resort's Bush Tucker Talk and Taste Experiences. kingfisherbay.com

TOP STAYS: Best spot to stay on the K'gari is Kingfisher Bay Resort, which has a four-star hotel, self-contained villas, several bars and restaurants and a range of tours. kingfisherbay.com

TOP TIP: Permits to drive the beach and on K'gari are required and available from nprsr.qld.gov.au

EXPLORE MORE: visitsunshinecoast.com

Nature's Way, Darwin to Kakadu, NT

Set aside: Five days

Best time: Dry season, April to November

A road trip across the Top End through Kakadu is like driving through Australia's largest open-range zoo. And it's not just dingos, kangaroos and buffalo you'll see; Kakadu, one of Australia's largest - and wildest - national parks, is home to a staggering one-third of all Australian bird species and around a fifth of all our mammals. Even so it's the reptiles, especially the crocodiles, that you'll remember most, because the waterways are teeming with them. And the spectacle of watching the sky turn dark with a hundred thousand wings when great gatherings of birds congregate above a waterhole at sunset is not something you'll forget in a hurry either.

It might be wild, but it's much easier to explore than you might expect. The main road through the park, known as the Nature's Way (Arnhem and Kakadu highways on a map), is sealed and fine for conventional cars, although a 4WD will get you into some of the more remote sections of the park.

It takes about three hours to drive from Darwin to the township of Jabiru inside Kakadu, but stop at Adelaide River on the way for a Jumping Crocodile cruise: looking in the eyes of a four-metre-long crocodile as it leaps out of the water is thrilling and terrifying in equal measure.

You could spend a fortnight exploring Kakadu, but if you only have a few days make sure you do a cruise on Yellow Water Billabong, watch the crocodiles catch barramundi in their teeth on the causeway at Cahills Crossing, and catch the evening bird show at any number of billabongs around the park. Kakadu is also home to some of the best rock art in the country, free-ranger walks, thundering waterfalls and magnificent hiking trails, many that lead to magical (croc-free) swimming spots.

TOP EATS: You can try crocodile, kangaroo and Gunbalanya beef at the Escarpment Restaurant in the Mercure Crocodile Hotel, and top-notch Thai food in the Anbinik Restaurant: all.accor.com; anbinik.com.au

TOP STAYS: The crocodile-shaped Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel is right in the middle of Jabiru, and family-friendly Cooinda Lodge is close to Yellow Water Billabong and has glamping and motel-style units. all.accor.com; kakadutourism.com

TOP TIP: The waterfalls are most spectacular during February and March in what's known as the wet - or green - season, which has the added bonus of half-price hotel rooms and next to no crowds.

EXPLORE MORE: tourismtopend.com.au; kakadutourism.com

The Convict Trail, Hobart to Port Arthur and back, Tasmania

Set aside: Four days

Best time: Summer

History comes alive in Tasmania, particularly in the atmospheric ruins of the abandoned convict settlements on the Tasman Peninsula. Distances aren't great, and you could do it in day, but there's so much to see and do, and some fantastic night-time tours, it's worth taking three or four days.

From Hobart it's an easy half-hour drive to Richmond, where almost all the buildings in the village were convict built. Drive across Australia's oldest bridge (reputed to be haunted by a vile overseer called George Grover), visit one of the oldest catholic churches in the country, and take a tour of Richmond Gaol, Australia's oldest intact prison.

Head south towards Port Arthur, stopping along the way to admire the stunning rocks formations of Tasman National Park, like the Tessellated Pavement and Tasman Blowhole.

The World Heritage-listed Port Arthur Historic Site is one of Australia's most significant - and most notorious - convict settlement sites. More than just a gaol, it was a village with flour mill, timber mill, and shoe-making, smithing and brick-making operations. It was abandoned in 1877 and what remains today is a mixture of restored buildings, photogenic ruins and re-created gardens. Tickets are valid for two days, and there are a range of tours available: one not to miss if you're not easily spooked is the night-time ghost tour. Led by guides carrying glass lanterns, you'll learn about the most documented ghost sightings and unexplained happenings in many of the houses and cells.

There's another World Heritage convict site a half-hour drive away near Lime Bay called the Coal Mines Historic Site. Here, Port Arthur's bad boys were forced to work, and live, underground, a cruel punishment indeed given the natural beauty of the place. The site is free to enter and not nearly as well-known as Port Arthur, so chances are you'll be the only person there. Close your eyes and you can almost hear the rattling of the chains.

TOP EATS: Try some Pirates Bay octopus and other local produce at the 1830 Restaurant & Bar while enjoying the views across Port Arthur. portarthur.org.au

TOP STAYS: The bay-front cabins at Stewarts Bay Lodge are just a 15-minute walk from the Port Arthur ruins. stewartsbaylodge.com.au

TOP TIP: Get a glimpse of what Hobart was like in the 1820s at Richmond's Old Hobart Town, a meticulously hand-crafted model village built from historical plans with more than 60 replica buildings and 600 period figurines. oldhobarttown.com

EXPLORE MORE: portarthur.org.au; discovertasmania.com.au

The Flinders Ranges, Quorn to Arkaroola, SA

Set aside: Five days

Best time: Autumn through to spring

Travelling through the dazzling Flinders Ranges a day's drive north of Adelaide is like stepping inside the frame of one of Hans Heysen's iconic paintings of ghostly gum trees, mauve hills and red rocky ranges. It's life imitating art on a monumental scale, because it was here he created some of most famous views, in the craggy ranges that now bear his name.

Start at Quorn - terminus of the Pichi Richi Railway and its historic steam trains - and head north into the heart of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. There are several good lookouts signposted along the way giving great views of the Elder Range and the outer ramparts of Wilpena Pound, a crater-like pile of rock covering 83 square kilometres that rises from the surrounding plains - the rim is formed by the eroded stumps of massive mountains. There are several tracks cutting across the national park, and while all roads in this area are scenic, the Brachina and Bunyeroo roads, Moralana Scenic Drive and the Blinman-Parachilna Road are especially so, as they follow dry creek beds and ancient gorge lines deep into the heart of the ranges.

The road turns to gravel (but still okay for 2WD) just past Wilpena and it's around three hours drive to Arkaroola, a vast wilderness sanctuary at the far northern tip of the Flinders, featuring soaring granite peaks and deep gorges. The four-hour ridge-top tour that travels along the spine of the mountains to a stunning lookout is a must.

With views this good, it's easy to see why so many movies have been shot in these exceedingly photogenic hills.

TOP EATS: Parachilna's Prairie Hotel is an authentic outback pub with an innovative menu using native foods: the feral mixed grill of emu, kangaroo, goat and camel is the signature dish. Flinders Food Co in Hawker is your go-to place for tangy quandong pies and good coffee. prairiehotel.com.au; flindersfoodco.com.au

TOP STAYS: Go outback in style at Arkaba: the historic homestead is now a luxury lodge. Wilpena Pound Resort has motel units, glamping and tours. arkabaconservancy.com; wilpenapound.com.au

TOP TIP: Splurge out on a scenic flight over Wilpena Pound. It's the best way to get a full-screen view of this vast natural wonder; book at Wilpena Pound Resort.

EXPLORE MORE: flindersandoutback.com.au