The data is in, and the most loved drives this winter are…

We’re in the thick of winter right now, which means peak season for rugging up, hitting the open road and chasing everything from misty coastal cliffs to red-dirt outback horizons.

A report by the car insurance experts at ROLLiN’ has crunched the numbers to reveal the most loved winter road trips in Australia. By analysing 22 of the country’s most iconic routes across key data points – including search volume, social media buzz, Google reviews and distance – they’ve ranked the ultimate cold-weather drives that travellers can’t get enough of. Here’s how they stacked up.

1. Great Ocean Road

Coming in at first place as the most loved road trip is the Great Ocean Road, and it’s a no-brainer. It’s one of the most iconic drives in Australia: 243 kilometres of coastal magic from Torquay to Allansford. With 83,900 monthly searches and over 33 million TikToks, it’s clearly a crowd favourite. Throw in jaw-dropping views like the Twelve Apostles and a solid 4.73 Google rating across its top spots, and it’s no wonder this trip racks up a massive 98.2 score.

2. Grand Pacific Drive

In second place is the Grand Pacific Drive, a shorter 140-kilometre trip that still delivers the goods. Winding from the Royal National Park to Shoalhaven, it pulls in 24,200 monthly searches and a top-notch 4.78 rating. Think cliff-hugging roads, sea breeze, and plenty of Insta-worthy stops, and it’s easy to see why it’s a favourite.

3. Great Beach Drive

Taking out the third spot is the Great Beach Drive, a 380-kilometre stretch from Noosa to Hervey Bay that’s all about sun, sand, and serious 4WD vibes. It might not rack up the same search numbers, but with over 620,000 Instagram posts, a strong 4.74 average Google rating across its top three attractions, and highlights like Rainbow Beach and K’gari, it’s clearly doing something right.

4. Sydney to Melbourne Road Trip

Rounding out the top four is the ultimate long-haul: the 1040-kilometre coastal cruise linking Sydney and Melbourne. It’s not chasing viral fame – just 5126 TikToks to its name – but it more than makes up for it with a rock-solid 4.78 Google rating and 249,200 Instagram posts along the way. From the South Coast’s beach towns to Gippsland’s lakes, it’s proof that the best road trips aren’t always the shortest ones.

5. Gibb River Road

Coming in at fifth is Western Australia’s Gibb River Road, the ultimate dry-season bucket-lister. At 660 kilometres through some of the country’s most remote outback terrain, it still manages 19,800 monthly searches and a strong 4.77 rating. Winter is peak time to tackle it too, with dust-free roads, swimmable gorges and some of the best stargazing anywhere in the country.

6. Epicurean Way

Sixth place goes to South Australia’s Epicurean Way, a 223-kilometre trail through the state’s best wine country. Search volume is modest, but this route is a social media darling, boasting 2421 posts per kilometre – the highest of any road trip on the list. Rolling vineyards, cellar doors and long lunches will do that.

7. Great Barrier Reef Drive

In seventh is the Great Barrier Reef Drive, a 140-kilometre run from Cairns up through Port Douglas to Cape Tribulation. With a 4.69 Google rating and over 107,000 Instagram posts, it’s the pick for travellers chasing tropical reef-meets-rainforest scenery – and two World Heritage-listed sites in one drive.

8. Great Eastern Drive

Eighth on the list is Tasmania’s Great Eastern Drive, a 220-kilometre east coast run that punches well above its weight with a 4.79 Google rating – one of the highest of any route ranked. Freycinet National Park and the blinding-white sands of Bay of Fires make it a stunner, even if it flies under the radar on search and social.

9. Red Centre Way

Ninth place belongs to the Northern Territory’s Red Centre Way, 666 kilometres through the heart of the outback linking Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Uluṟu. It’s a bucket-list route for starry skies and ochre landscapes, pulling in 2818 TikToks and a 4.63 rating.

10. Explorer’s Way

Closing out the top 10 is the Explorer’s Way – Australia’s true epic at 3000 kilometres from Adelaide to Darwin. It’s the longest road trip on the list by a huge margin, and while its per-kilometre numbers are modest, 206,600 Instagram posts show plenty of travellers are still up for the challenge of crossing the continent, red dirt and all.

What does it all mean? That winter road tripping in Australia is alive and well. Whether you’re chasing rugged coastlines, remote outback adventures or misty rainforest vibes, there’s a road trip calling your name. And with fewer crowds, crisper air and the chance to spot wildlife like migrating whales or desert wildflowers, winter could just be the best time to pack the car and hit the road.