Fill the tank and switch off with peace of mind – these are the 10 safest road trips in Australia for solo travellers.
Road trips offer freedom and the chance to disconnect – but going it alone can come with question marks. What if something goes wrong? Is the region safe to travel through alone? Will I be able to access help if I need it?
To cut through the guesswork, car insurance company iSelect analysed more than 20 popular road trips to determine the best road trips in Australia for solo travellers. The findings are based on safety metrics that take into account factors including mobile service coverage, solo accommodation options, rest stops, hospitals and the overall social sentiment of the area covered. All that’s left to do is fill the tank and hit the open road.
The 10 best road trips in Australia for solo travellers
1. Legendary Pacific Coast
Scenic views of Nambucca Heads along the Legendary Pacific Coast. (Credit: Destination NSW)
See Mount Warning along the scenic drive. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Explore Lennox Head along the Legendary Pacific Coast. (Credit: Destination NSW)
This 1000-kilometre coastal touring route between Sydney and Brisbane has been crowned the safest and best road trip for solo travellers in Australia. Why? It has 100 per cent phone coverage, plentiful solo attractions and superior logistical ease. Plus, it’s a visual feast. Expect sparkling beaches, charming hinterland-backdropped towns and world-class wineries in the Hunter Valley, promising endless delight.
2. Great Ocean Road
Explore the Twelve Apostles along the Great Ocean Road. (Credit: Visit Victoria / Kirk Richards)
From quiet nights under star-studded skies to winding coastlines and iconic sites like the Twelve Apostles, there’s a lot to love aboutVictoria’s legendary stretch of coast. The Great Ocean Road has already been dubbed the best of our readers’ favourite Aussie road trips, but now it is being recognised as one of the safest, too – its popularity making the area a place solo drivers can confidently explore. Full phone coverage, friendly locals and reliable accommodation options seal the deal.
3. Cape to Cape
Point Picquet, near Dunsborough in WA’s Margaret River. (Credit: Frances Andrijich)
While lesser-explored and more remote, Cape to Cape within the Margaret River region of Western Australia is still one of the top road trips for solo travellers thanks to its great phone coverage, stunning yet quiet coastline and convenient rest stops. Prepare to be awed by Boranup Karri Forest, the lighthouses at Cape Naturaliste and award-winning wineries.
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4. Coral Coast Highway
Hutt Lagoon is a highlight of the Coral Coast highway. (Credit: Tourism Western Australia)
The pink waters of Hutt Lagoon, mars-like formations of the Pinnacles Desert and resident dolphins at Monkey Mia are enough to draw any nature-loving traveller to Western Australia’s Coral Coast Highway. The route, which snakes from Perth to Exmouth along the Indian Ocean, scores high in rest stops, solo stays and attractions – though there aren’t as many hospitals as you’d find along many of the East Coast road trips.
5. Coastal Sydney to Melbourne
Murray’s Beach delivers more than just sunset views. (Credit: Filippo Rivetti)
Speaking of hospitals, the Coastal Sydney to Melbourne road trip has abundant facilities along the way – providing peace of mind for travellers concerned about medical access. Phone coverage is also excellent along this well-loved coastal route, which offers plentiful wildlife (think koalas, dolphins and kangaroos) as well as oyster towns and sprawling national parks.
6. South West Edge
Discover the beauty of Esperance by road. (Credit: Matt Finch)
The South West Edge tracks all the way from Perth to Esperance, passing some of the most astonishingly pristine (and quiet) beaches you may ever lay eyes on. It’s one of the best Australian road trips for solo travellers with its moderate temperatures and copious scenic stops.
7. Grand Pacific Drive
The iconic Sea Cliff Bridge. (Credit: Destination NSW)
You’ve surely seen NSW’s magnificent Sea Cliff Bridge on your social media feed at some point, and it’s one of the highlights of the Grand Pacific Drive. Drivers going the road trip alone will feel at ease knowing there are plenty of locals and travellers populating the region, making it easy to find help if anything goes wrong.
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8. Epicurean Way
Pick some grapes in the Barossa this autumn. (Credit: Barossa Grape & Wine Association)
Let’s not forget about South Australia and the gorgeous road trips it has to offer. Take the Epicurean Way and tick off McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Clare Valley while indulging the senses in fine wine and spectacular produce. Full phone service and ample accommodation ensure you’ll stay safe and connected the entire journey.
9. Adelaide to Eyre Peninsula
The Eyre Peninsula’s production of oysters is an industry of abundance. (Credit: Tourism Australia)
When it comes to the best road trips for solo travellers in Australia, the Adelaide to Eyre Peninsula route punches above its weight. Think breathtaking cliff lookouts, fresh seafood, and cheeky sea lions and bottlenose dolphins at Baird Bay.
10. Heritage Highway
You may have heard in-the-know history buffs raving about Tasmania’s Heritage Highway, the original, convict-built inland road between Hobart and Launceston that was developed by the state’s early European settlers. Rich in colonial-era villages and quaint bridges, this road trip isn’t too far off the beaten path but still offers myriad surprises.
Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.
The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.
Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.
Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.
Exploring K’gari
Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)
This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.
If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.
The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.
Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)
If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.
While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise. Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.
The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.
Unwind at sunset
Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)
As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.
The Sunset Bar, located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.
When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.
Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.
Indulge and disconnect
Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)
Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.
The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.
Getting there
The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)
Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.
