Australia's Highway One is the world's longest national highway. The length runs 14,500 kilometers (9,010 miles) and covers the whole country.
Australia's Highway One is a network of highways that circumnavigate the country, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately 14,500 km (9,010 mi) it is among the longest national highways in the world, a list including the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000 km or 6,800 mi) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 mi). Every day more than a million people travel on a part of it.
WHEN TRAVELLERS TALK about doing a 'Big Lap' of Australia, it's Highway One that excites imaginations, providing access to some of our most celebrated destinations as it skirts the mainland's coastal fringes (and also makes a short skip through central Tasmania).
At around 14,500 km (9,010 miles), Highway One is one of the longest designated road routes in the world. When the first section of the route was signposted between Brisbane and Adelaide in 1955, it was Australia's only true national highway. Today, although more direct routes crisscross the country, none are more scenic than Highway One.
Linking seven of our eight capital cities, Highway One incorporates classic drives across the Nullarbor, through the Kimberley and along Victoria's Great Ocean Road. It provides access to New South Wales' string of seaside national parks, passes through coastal towns along Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, and curves beneath giant karris in Western Australia's southwestern forests.
Australia’s Highway 1 is the longest national highway in the world. Image courtesy of Tony Bowden.
Highway 1 covers practically every major inhabited part of Australia. Large capital cities, busy holiday resorts, dramatic coastlines, forests ranging from tropical to temperate gum forests, scrubland, deserts, and huge tropical swamps are some of the variety of landscapes that can be found along the route.
Stretches of Highway 1 are very popular with interstate and overseas tourists. A drive around Highway 1 with a major detour to Uluru and back again practically covers most of Australia. The number 1 shield became part of the bush landscape to many travellers, truckers, and country people.
Australia's biggest and grandest road trip
The following is a circular itinerary, you can complete it by starting at any point and travel either clockwise or counterclockwise until you're back where you started. In this article the trip goes clockwise and starts and ends in Sydney. Sydney itself is famous for its opera house and the Harbour Bridge and is probably the most common point of entry to Australia from abroad.
Sydney to Melbourne
The coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne along Princes Highway can be done with an overnight stop within two days, although you could probably take some time and spend at least four days on the road, with a couple of hours at each stop to thoroughly enjoy the South Coast. Lots of wildlife from whales, dolphins to seals if you keep an eye out, and plenty of seagulls and pelicans.
There are countless unspoilt beaches along the coast — white sand beaches, surf beaches, tidal river beaches — such that you might actually get sick of it all, and taking the Kings Highway just before Batemans Bay and then the inland drive via Monaro Highway could be an option.
Batemans Bay
Illawarra and Shellharbour
Royal National Park, through Audley Weir and possible stops at Wattamolla and Garie Beach, although Audley Weir is sometimes flooded after heavy rain and you'll have to use the entrance at Waterfall instead.
Grand Pacific Drive starting from Stanwell Tops to Austinmer via Sea Cliff Bridge
Kiama for its blowhole, and nearby Minnamurra Rainforest
Kiama Blowhole
Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla
Jervis Bay has some of the world's whitest beaches at Huskisson and Hyams Beach.
There's awesome surf at Ulladulla and Mollymook, and many surf competitions are held here.
Batemans Bay has great oysters from the Clyde River.
Pebbly Beach and South Durras are hidden gems where wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos can be found feeding peacefully. Contrary to the name, Pebbly Beach has great sand, though you'll have to step more carefully through the grass patches thanks to the kangaroos. There's also a good trail to walk on Durras Beach.
Mogo for Mogo Zoo where there's wildlife, native and non-native, to cuddle and feed.
For the young at heart, a visit to the Mogo Zoo is a must!
Sapphire Coast
The Sapphire Coast covers the southernmost coastal region of New South Wales. No daytrippers from either Sydney or Melbourne here.
Narooma for seal and dolphin sightings, stay overnight at Montague Island
Cobargo, nicknamed the "Working Village"
Merimbula
Stop at Bega for its cheese factory, there's lots of free samples
Eden for whale watching, Killer Whale Museum and Marine Discovery Centre. Green Cape Lighthouse is also worth a look
Eden Killer Whale Museum
Over the Victorian border
Gippsland Lakes - Lakes Entrance
Wilsons Promontory, the most southerly point of the Australian mainland
Penguins at Phillip Island
After this you will arrive in Melbourne, almost as large as Sydney and considered Australia's cultural capital.
Melbourne is considered Australia's cultural capital.
Melbourne to Adelaide
The road is still known as Princes Highway, following the coastline to Geelong from where you can opt for a scenic sidetrip along the Great Ocean Road. Otherwise the road goes straight to Warrnambool, follows the coast for more than half of the way to the state border, goes inland to Mount Gambier and then mostly follows the coast to Adelaide.
The Great Ocean Road
Adelaide to Perth
The road is still known as Princes Highway for about 300 km up to Port Augusta, a town which is one of the most important road and rail junctions in all of Australia. From here you can get north through the Red Centre all the way to Darwin, east back to Sydney and west to Perth, where this itinerary is going.
The section from Port Augusta to Norseman is called Eyre Highway, much of it being a long and lonely road. There are still some small towns and fenced farmlands on the South Australian side, but across the state border there is only wilderness. At some places the road goes passes near the Great Australian Bight, so close that fog may reach the road, creating dangerous driving conditions. The road also follows the southern edge of the vast Nullarbor Plain. Between Caiguna Roadhouse and Balladonia Roadhouse, there's the 90-mile-straight; an almost 150-km-long stretch of road without even one curve.
From Norseman you can drive straight to Perth, but Highway 1 goes back south to the ocean and follows the South Coast Highway and South Western Highway to Perth.
Port Augusta, South Australia
Perth to Darwin
From the West Australian metropolis, the road goes north to Geraldton, mostly inland. From here on the road is known as the North West Coastal Highway, but it will still mostly go inland. As with most of Western Australia, towns are far between here, larger ones being Carnarvon, Karratha and Port Hedland. Just before the latter, the road will be joined by the Great Northern Highway, the inland shortcut from Perth.
After the junction to Broome there is a stretch of 800 km through the Kimberley with no real towns until Kununurra. After this the road is renamed Victoria Highway and soon you will cross into the Northern Territory, followed by some 450 km of outback to Katherine. Here the highway actually divides itself in two: Stuart Highway to the north is the branch to Darwin; to the south you get further along the road if you want to skip Darwin and dig into the next big serving of desolate outback right away.
Atlantis Falls, Kimberley
Darwin to Brisbane
Backtrack along the Stuart Highway to Katherine and continue for about the same distance to the Hi-Way Inn Roadhouse. Now follows probably the roughest part of the whole itinerary; the Carpentaria Highway and Savannah Highway across tropical savannahs almost out to the east coast, then along the unpaved Savannah Way into Queensland. After Normanton the road is paved again, and road quality improves gradually when you get closer to the Cairns and the Pacific coast.
From Cairns, the road, known as Pacific Coast Highway and Bruce Highway, follows the coast, providing access to the Great Barrier Reef, yet another one of Australia's famous natural attractions. Eventually, you will arrive in Brisbane, the last state capital on this journey.
Cooroy, known as the "Heart of the Hinterland"
Eumundi for its bi-annual markets
Bruce Highway (Highway One) to Cooroy
Brisbane to Sydney
Back in the populated part of the country, the Pacific Highway along the coast passes the surf and beach destinations south of Brisbane and the Hunter Valley wine region. Beware that this is actually one of the most dangerous roads in all of Australia: Despite being a busy road, a large part of it is still two-lane highway with many twisty sections.
Hunter Valley Wine Country
Tasmania
The road connecting Devonport (where the ferries from the mainland arrive) to Launceston and Hobart is also a branch of Highway 1.
The ferry Spirit of Tasmania connects mainland Australia to Tasmania
There are many ways to set up your car for a long-haul, often off-road trip, but here is how Catherine and David did it.
Read the full article
Australia's Highway One is a network of highways that circumnavigate the country, joining all mainland state capitals. At a total length of approximately 14,500 km (9,010 mi) it is among the longest national highways in the world, a list including the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000 km or 6,800 mi) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 mi). Every day more than a million people travel on a part of it.
WHEN TRAVELLERS TALK about doing a 'Big Lap' of Australia, it's Highway One that excites imaginations, providing access to some of our most celebrated destinations as it skirts the mainland's coastal fringes (and also makes a short skip through central Tasmania).
At around 14,500 km (9,010 miles), Highway One is one of the longest designated road routes in the world. When the first section of the route was signposted between Brisbane and Adelaide in 1955, it was Australia's only true national highway. Today, although more direct routes crisscross the country, none are more scenic than Highway One.
Linking seven of our eight capital cities, Highway One incorporates classic drives across the Nullarbor, through the Kimberley and along Victoria's Great Ocean Road. It provides access to New South Wales' string of seaside national parks, passes through coastal towns along Queensland's Great Barrier Reef, and curves beneath giant karris in Western Australia's southwestern forests.
Australia’s Highway 1 is the longest national highway in the world. Image courtesy of Tony Bowden.
Highway 1 covers practically every major inhabited part of Australia. Large capital cities, busy holiday resorts, dramatic coastlines, forests ranging from tropical to temperate gum forests, scrubland, deserts, and huge tropical swamps are some of the variety of landscapes that can be found along the route.
Stretches of Highway 1 are very popular with interstate and overseas tourists. A drive around Highway 1 with a major detour to Uluru and back again practically covers most of Australia. The number 1 shield became part of the bush landscape to many travellers, truckers, and country people.
Australia's biggest and grandest road trip
The following is a circular itinerary, you can complete it by starting at any point and travel either clockwise or counterclockwise until you're back where you started. In this article the trip goes clockwise and starts and ends in Sydney. Sydney itself is famous for its opera house and the Harbour Bridge and is probably the most common point of entry to Australia from abroad.
Sydney to Melbourne
The coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne along Princes Highway can be done with an overnight stop within two days, although you could probably take some time and spend at least four days on the road, with a couple of hours at each stop to thoroughly enjoy the South Coast. Lots of wildlife from whales, dolphins to seals if you keep an eye out, and plenty of seagulls and pelicans.
There are countless unspoilt beaches along the coast — white sand beaches, surf beaches, tidal river beaches — such that you might actually get sick of it all, and taking the Kings Highway just before Batemans Bay and then the inland drive via Monaro Highway could be an option.
Batemans Bay
Illawarra and Shellharbour
Royal National Park, through Audley Weir and possible stops at Wattamolla and Garie Beach, although Audley Weir is sometimes flooded after heavy rain and you'll have to use the entrance at Waterfall instead.
Grand Pacific Drive starting from Stanwell Tops to Austinmer via Sea Cliff Bridge
Kiama for its blowhole, and nearby Minnamurra Rainforest
Kiama Blowhole
Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla
Jervis Bay has some of the world's whitest beaches at Huskisson and Hyams Beach.
There's awesome surf at Ulladulla and Mollymook, and many surf competitions are held here.
Batemans Bay has great oysters from the Clyde River.
Pebbly Beach and South Durras are hidden gems where wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos can be found feeding peacefully. Contrary to the name, Pebbly Beach has great sand, though you'll have to step more carefully through the grass patches thanks to the kangaroos. There's also a good trail to walk on Durras Beach.
Mogo for Mogo Zoo where there's wildlife, native and non-native, to cuddle and feed.
For the young at heart, a visit to the Mogo Zoo is a must!
Sapphire Coast
The Sapphire Coast covers the southernmost coastal region of New South Wales. No daytrippers from either Sydney or Melbourne here.
Narooma for seal and dolphin sightings, stay overnight at Montague Island
Cobargo, nicknamed the "Working Village"
Merimbula
Stop at Bega for its cheese factory, there's lots of free samples
Eden for whale watching, Killer Whale Museum and Marine Discovery Centre. Green Cape Lighthouse is also worth a look
Eden Killer Whale Museum
Over the Victorian border
Gippsland Lakes - Lakes Entrance
Wilsons Promontory, the most southerly point of the Australian mainland
Penguins at Phillip Island
After this you will arrive in Melbourne, almost as large as Sydney and considered Australia's cultural capital.
Melbourne is considered Australia's cultural capital.
Melbourne to Adelaide
The road is still known as Princes Highway, following the coastline to Geelong from where you can opt for a scenic sidetrip along the Great Ocean Road. Otherwise the road goes straight to Warrnambool, follows the coast for more than half of the way to the state border, goes inland to Mount Gambier and then mostly follows the coast to Adelaide.
The Great Ocean Road
Adelaide to Perth
The road is still known as Princes Highway for about 300 km up to Port Augusta, a town which is one of the most important road and rail junctions in all of Australia. From here you can get north through the Red Centre all the way to Darwin, east back to Sydney and west to Perth, where this itinerary is going.
The section from Port Augusta to Norseman is called Eyre Highway, much of it being a long and lonely road. There are still some small towns and fenced farmlands on the South Australian side, but across the state border there is only wilderness. At some places the road goes passes near the Great Australian Bight, so close that fog may reach the road, creating dangerous driving conditions. The road also follows the southern edge of the vast Nullarbor Plain. Between Caiguna Roadhouse and Balladonia Roadhouse, there's the 90-mile-straight; an almost 150-km-long stretch of road without even one curve.
From Norseman you can drive straight to Perth, but Highway 1 goes back south to the ocean and follows the South Coast Highway and South Western Highway to Perth.
Port Augusta, South Australia
Perth to Darwin
From the West Australian metropolis, the road goes north to Geraldton, mostly inland. From here on the road is known as the North West Coastal Highway, but it will still mostly go inland. As with most of Western Australia, towns are far between here, larger ones being Carnarvon, Karratha and Port Hedland. Just before the latter, the road will be joined by the Great Northern Highway, the inland shortcut from Perth.
After the junction to Broome there is a stretch of 800 km through the Kimberley with no real towns until Kununurra. After this the road is renamed Victoria Highway and soon you will cross into the Northern Territory, followed by some 450 km of outback to Katherine. Here the highway actually divides itself in two: Stuart Highway to the north is the branch to Darwin; to the south you get further along the road if you want to skip Darwin and dig into the next big serving of desolate outback right away.
Atlantis Falls, Kimberley
Darwin to Brisbane
Backtrack along the Stuart Highway to Katherine and continue for about the same distance to the Hi-Way Inn Roadhouse. Now follows probably the roughest part of the whole itinerary; the Carpentaria Highway and Savannah Highway across tropical savannahs almost out to the east coast, then along the unpaved Savannah Way into Queensland. After Normanton the road is paved again, and road quality improves gradually when you get closer to the Cairns and the Pacific coast.
From Cairns, the road, known as Pacific Coast Highway and Bruce Highway, follows the coast, providing access to the Great Barrier Reef, yet another one of Australia's famous natural attractions. Eventually, you will arrive in Brisbane, the last state capital on this journey.
Cooroy, known as the "Heart of the Hinterland"
Eumundi for its bi-annual markets
Bruce Highway (Highway One) to Cooroy
Brisbane to Sydney
Back in the populated part of the country, the Pacific Highway along the coast passes the surf and beach destinations south of Brisbane and the Hunter Valley wine region. Beware that this is actually one of the most dangerous roads in all of Australia: Despite being a busy road, a large part of it is still two-lane highway with many twisty sections.
Hunter Valley Wine Country
Tasmania
The road connecting Devonport (where the ferries from the mainland arrive) to Launceston and Hobart is also a branch of Highway 1.
The ferry Spirit of Tasmania connects mainland Australia to Tasmania
There are many ways to set up your car for a long-haul, often off-road trip, but here is how Catherine and David did it.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway_1_(Australia)
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Highway_1_(Australia)
Read the full article
