Driving in Australia: Road Trip Tips (James Blunts)

Everyone's planned a road trip at some point. It's been in so many movies we all feel as if we've just got to do one. And there's no place better than in Australia.

'Down Under' there's thousands of miles of tarmac and tracks; you'd never get even close to driving all of the routes this country has for you.

If you fancy leaving your budget accommodation in Kings Cross behind, how do you know which one should you try?

Well, there are some really obvious choices and we'll cover them after looking at basic tips for anyone wanting to drive in Australia.

General Tips

Pick Your Vehicle

Pick your vehicle with caution. Think just what you want from it and always get a best inspection you can before parting with your hard earned cash.

Plan and pack well

Always plan for emergencies. You should have spare food, water and fuel - and if you are planning on any real off road adventures, all the tools and spares you might need.

Work on your skills

You'll need to fend for yourselves on longer routes and rods. Make sure you can map read and perhaps even get basic course in vehicle maintenance - or even volunteer in a garage to pick up some skills.

Three Routes to Look For

The Great Ocean Road

From Geelong to Portland is a road that's legendary for drivers in Australia. The Great Ocean Road is the route in Southern Australia to take. Huge rocky coasts, awesome surfing beaches, national parks and even rainforests, it's a drive of a lifetime.

The Great Tropical Drive

Get set up and get driving from Cairns to Townsville. This route takes you via rainforest, coast and within reach of the Great Barrier reef. Driven in full it's more than 2,000km, but you can cut it short and just take other routes - or 'Discovery Trails'.

The Coral Coast

A nature lover dream the Coral Coast serves up a mix of road and track. There's a great chance to visit beaches and even get closer to the region's friendly dolphin community.

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