7 tips for road tripping success these holidays

From the moment free-wheeling Australians sensed light through the cracks of state border restrictions, we’ve been dreaming up travel extravaganzas larger than the Big Banana, Pineapple and Yamba Prawn combined.

After two undeniably long years of thwarted travel plans, our patience is running on empty. However, while undeterrable travel-addicts are crossing fingers and toes and gambling on international flights, many Australians aren’t quite ready to risk booking overseas travel.

Driving the great ocean road — Get ready to hit the road again.

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As a result of precious time loss, our silver-nomads and young families alike are reassessing lifelong international travel plans.

Every Australian deserves safe, assured, personalised holidays and happily, all those ‘good things promised to those who wait’ are finally being presented on a large, delectable platter. It’s time to take back the streets, the highways and country roads of Australia, to rule the cities and the coastline, the outback and the tropics. It’s time for some holiday DIY (drive it yourself)!

A 4WD driving on sand — From beach to bush to outback, make sure you are well prepared.

Set off with confidence

Yes, the great Aussie road trip is back in full throttle! However, before you drive off into the sunset, we suggest settling your engines for some sage advice.

Now is not the time for total spontaneity, or leaving things to chance, especially when carrying precious cargo – that includes you, your loved ones (furry or otherwise) and even the Christmas Pav.

Whether you’re heading home for the holidays, embarking on a driving adventure across our dusty plains, honed-in on seven glorious days around Tasmania, cruising even a small portion of our stunning coastline or meandering your four-wheel-drive deep into rainforest tranquillity, the one thing you absolutely cannot do without is solid planning. The very act of driving across our enormous, rugged country, where towns can be situated days apart, takes a certain level of skill, preparedness and awareness.

We don’t wish to deter you, far from it – we want to make sure you get away without a hitch! So, in the essence of mateship and spirit of holidays past, present and future we are wrapt to present you with our ‘we’ve got your back’ travel pack of expert tips. Just follow the checklist below to avoid common road-trip pitfalls and further disappointment. Let this summer holiday be ruled equally by heart and common sense.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

Your Australian road tripping safety checklist

beat up car — Is your car up to the journey? It may be time to upgrade your vehicle.

1. Is your car up to the challenge?

A quick check up at your local service centre might seem like ‘just another expense’, especially in holiday season, but in the long run it could save you truckloads of cash and most importantly keep you safe. Be prepared for items like brake pads, tyres, and anything else that wears, to possibly need replacing before you take off; of course, if you’ve been thinking about buying a new car now might provide the perfect opportunity.
If the festive season isn’t the time to gift and receive thousands of safe, ergonomically sound, air-conditioned kilometres of road travel – well when the heck is? Be warned however, with vehicle supply delays, dealers have the upper hand. The best way to save is by securing your most competitive interest rate by seeking car loan pre-approval.

Planning a road trip — Loosely planning your road trip is not just sensible but fun.

2. Scouting your route

No matter how long you’re planning to be away there’s plenty to be considered before checking your rear-view mirrors and taking off. Loosely planning your entire route, perhaps detailing the first couple of legs, will save time and frustration, as well as ensure your focus remains on the road ahead. Planning comfort breaks and leg stretches with something for the kids to do is critical when you have the entire brood on board.
Use digital maps such as Google to plot out essential points on route – from coffee and toilet stops to fuel and police stations (particularly if travelling solo), to tollways and places of interest you’ll likely miss if you stick to the main drag.
From time to time, you may find yourself out of mobile phone reception range, so before you leave, download whatever information you need, including maps, onto your device. Don’t scrimp on your playlists, a bit of chill or trance might be perfect for short scenic drives but hours into extended trips and you’re likely to need something a little more upbeat.

Packed car — Consider your cargo and what can safely fit in your car.

3. Consider your cargo

Sure, there’s the obvious packing to be done (e.g. clothes, toiletries and essential medications) and begging for favours (i.e. neighbours to feed the cat, water the plants, collect the mail etc) – but there are fewer things more crucial than securing extra oil, radiator fluid and more water than you think you’ll need – especially if driving on remote stretches without access to roadside assistance.
The essential list of items to pack for a remote Aussie road trip include a 2-way radio, survival kit and other specialised equipment may be necessary, so be sure to do your research when navigating unfamiliar outback destinations. Check for last minute items like mints or ginger sweets for tummies prone to motion sickness, wet wipes, hand sanitiser, small garbage bags, pet bowls and eucalyptus oil to mask funky odours. Don’t forget the Eski, back support pillow and a first aid kit if not already on board… ah, you’ve got this. Lastly, get a good night’s sleep.

Set off early to avoid heavy traffic and delays.

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4. Ready, set, go.

Leave early to avoid traffic and stay refreshed longer. Keep hydrated (also caffeinated, if that’s your thing). Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination; in peak travel periods a breakdown, even if it’s someone else’s, can add hours to your journey and there’s never a good reason to rush on the road – holiday calling or not. If travelling with friends arrange a kitty for petrol, tolls, snacks, cleaning etc. If kids are along for the ride, and miraculously don’t have their heads glued to an electronic device, pre-plan some games or a singalong (I mean who doesn’t love a few thousand rounds of eye-spy with my little eye, or never-ending chorus of Kookaburra sits in the old gumtree), or other in-car activities to keep them occupied and your head from spinning off on the longest expanses.

Big Banana Coffs harbour — Break up he drive with a selfie at one of Australia’s ‘big things’. (Image: DNSW)

5. Stay on track

Break up the drive with regular stops at scenic lookouts or interesting towns. Gulp plenty of fresh sea or country air – it’s free and a great way to refresh and reset. Alternatively, spending some money in a regional bakery or cafe can go a long way to helping the locals and spreading holiday cheer – it’s also good for the soul. If you’re feeling sleepy or unwell make sure you pull over for a break or nap, swap with a co-driver or call it a night and stay at the nearest accommodation.

Car Rental Sign Airport — Consider clocking up miles on someone’s else’s car via a rental.

6. Rocking a rental

If time is of the essence? Hiring a car to suit your holiday budget, comfort and personal style requirements might be the answer, with the added bonus you are adding kms to the odometer of a car that is not yours. The booking process is simple, and you drive away safe in the knowledge that all reputable companies run their fleet through constant safety assessments and upgrades. Purchase comprehensive insurance (read the fine print) and you’ll avoid additional costs in the case of an accident. If your rental is out of action, it will be swiftly replaced for continuing your trip. It’s worth shopping around as prices do vary and may increase with demand. Book as soon as you’ve circled your travel dates, otherwise those already on track with their holiday-road-trip-to-freedom may well have scarfed the lot.

Hook turn sign, Melbourne — Remember that this may be one country but road rules do change between cities… Melbourne’s hook turn being the most notorious.

7. Additional extras

You might be an excellent driver and know your automobile inside and out, but road conditions and rules vary from state to state so it’s worth educating yourself for possible anomalies (think Victoria’s infamous hook turns or giving way to horses in Queensland). When your vehicle is heavily laden, you’ll also need to be mindful of issues such as your headlights shining higher, or your newly low-hanging chassis being damaged on uneven surfaces. Know your tow limits, height and width restrictions and if going off-road ensure your wheels (including spares) and suspension are up to the task. Finally, remember, once you’re out there, to relax, take in the beauty of your surroundings, let the wind blow through your hair – and enjoy your well-earned break, assured everything is in check. You’re welcome. Happy holidays.

The charm of Mildura is hidden in plain sight along the Sturt Highway. The capital of Tropical North Victoria is in a league of its own.

From the moment you arrive in Mildura, the warm air and palm trees invite you to slow down. While most Australians might drive right past it, Mildura is full of surprises. Here you’ll spend one day witnessing over 50,000 years of First Nations history in a UNESCO-listed National Park, and the next dining in a hatted restaurant after wandering through 12,500 fireflies as the outback sunset bursts to life above. From roadside fruit stalls and family-run wineries to houseboats and galleries, it’s time to explore Mildura.

Feast Street, at the heart of Langtree Avenue in Mildura. — Taste, wander and be surprised in Mildura.

Taste Mildura’s produce

It makes sense to start your trip by addressing the most important question: where to eat. In the beating heart of Australia’s food bowl, sample the local produce directly from the source. And then, of course, experience it through the menu of a hatted chef. Or sandwiched between pillowy slices of Nonna’s ciabatta.

Rows of orchards and olive groves invite you to spend the day traipsing from farm to farm. Taste olives propagated from Calabrian trees brought over in the 40s, oranges picked right from the tree and squeezed into juice and spoons full of honey. Bring the holiday back to your kitchen by stocking your pantry at roadside produce stalls, or calling into the ‘silver shed’ (Sunraysia’s gourmand Mecca).

Thanks to the warm, balmy air and fertile soils, the wineries dotted along these hills produce award-winning local wines. Like Chalmers, a family-run, innovative winery dedicated to making their wines as sustainable as possible. And picturesque Trentham Estate offers views of the snaking Murray River as you sample their vintages.

Venture beyond the gnarled shadows of olive groves and fragrant rows of blossoming fruit trees and you’ll find an otherworldly side to Mildura. With Discover Mildura as your guide, visit Murray River Salt’s Mars-like stacks. The naturally pink salt is formed from an ancient inland sea and evaporated entirely by the sun to create one of the region’s most iconic exports.

Start your day with just-squeezed sunshine.

Hatted dining & Italian history

Mildura is home to a proud community of Calabrians and Sicilians. This, paired with the exceptional local produce, means that you can find paninos on par with those in Italy. The Italian is a Paninoteca serving up made-to-order, hefty, authentic Sicilian paninos. Nonna Rosa’s pork meatballs, slowly cooked in tomato ragu and served in a crusty, fluffy roll topped with gratings of Grana Padano cheese and salsa verde, will call you back to Mildura for the rest of your days.

To find hatted dining in Mildura, simply follow the staircase down into the basement of the historic Mildura Grand Hotel to find Stefano’s. Following the muscle memory and instinct of his Italian roots, he delivers on the principle of ‘cucina povera’. That is, the Italian cooking ideology that turns simple, local ingredients into magic.

Things to do in Mildura include dining at the acclaimed Stefano’s, where simple local ingredients are transformed into Italian culinary magic beneath the historic Grand Hotel. — Bite into Mildura’s Italian heritage.

Discover a thriving culture scene

The city is alive with culture. Whether it’s painted on the town’s walls, told in ancient yarns, or waiting for you in a gallery.

The Mildura Arts Centre was Australia’s first regional art gallery. Behind the walls of Rio Vista Historic House, you’ll find a lineup of ever-changing exhibitions. The gallery’s wall space pays tribute to the art and songlines of local First Nations People, the region’s awe-inspiring landscapes and more. Outside, on the gallery’s lawn, find 12 contemporary sculptures in the Sculpture Park.

Mildura’s streetscapes are a punch of colour. Swirling strokes of paint blend the winding artery of the Murray River, red dirt and local characters into a story you can see with your own eyes, thanks to the Mildura City Heart’s Mural Art Project. Pick up a copy of the Murals of Mildura guide from the Visitor Information Centre.

Follow the border of NSW and Victoria on a map and you’ll see it hugs the curves of a tiny island on the Murray. That’s Lock Island, where, as the sun and moon trade places, the island comes alive as darkness falls. The island is dotted with 12,500 firefly lights that lead you on a meandering path through the outback sunset. The installation is known as Trail of Lights and was created by the same visionary who dreamt up Field of Light at Uluṟu, Bruce Munro.

Things to do in Mildura include exploring its rich cultural scene. From vibrant street art and ancient stories to exhibitions at the Mildura Arts Centre, Australia’s first regional gallery. — Find culture around every corner.

Wonder at ancient landscapes

The landscapes of Mildura feel almost transcendental. The skyline bursts to life with reds, pinks, and deep, sparkly night skies.

The nature will leave you in awe. See hues of pink water changing with the weather at Pink Lakes inside Victoria’s largest national park, Murray Sunset National Oark. Cast a line into Ouyen Lake. Watch the sunset against 70-metre tall red cliffs that reflect the setting sun. Or get the heart racing and sandboard down the Perry Sandhills dunes, formed 40,000 years ago at the end of an ice age.

Just don’t leave without following the twists and turns of the Murray. Stroll or ride along the Shared River Front Path, or jump onboard a boat for a scenic ride.

Your itinerary will be incomplete without a visit to UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park. Head out with an Indigenous ranger to witness ancient campsites and footprints, before standing in awe of ancient civilisation near the discovery site of Mungo Man—Australia’s oldest human skeleton at 42,000 years old.

Mungo National Park at night is a vast, silent landscape where ancient dunes glow under moonlight and stars blanket the sky in breathtaking clarity. — Walk in the footsteps of ancient civilisation.

Meet your home away from home

On equal par with planning your meals and adventures, is finding the perfect place to relax at the end of each day.

Sleep inside a Palm Springs postcard at Kar-Rama. A sleek boutique hotel complete with a butterfly shaped, sun-soaked pool. Here you’re staying right in the heart of Mildura but you’ll feel worlds away. Or if you really wish to connect with nature, a night glamping under the stars at Outback Almonds will have you spellbound.

When in Mildura it’s only right to stay on one of the Murray River’s iconic houseboats. Wake up each day to the calm waters of the Murray lapping outside your window. Enjoy days full of river swims, fishing and exploring. All boats are solar-powered and can be self-skippered or moored along the river.

A solar-powered houseboat on the Murray River in Mildura. — Stay and play on the Murray in a solar houseboat.

Start planning the perfect getaway at mildura.com.

7 tips for road tripping success these holidays

From the moment free-wheeling Australians sensed light through the cracks of state border restrictions, we’ve been dreaming up travel extravaganzas larger than the Big Banana, Pineapple and Yamba Prawn combined.

Back to Roadtrippin’ Australia

Set off with confidence