The Best Outback Road Trips in Australia

The outback is straightforward to travel if you respect the distances. None of it is complicated, just worth doing properly, because help can be a long way off. Get these fundamentals right and you can relax and enjoy the drive.

Plan your fuel. Towns and roadhouses can be a few hundred kilometres apart. Fill up whenever you can rather than when you have to, and know your vehicle’s range before a long leg.

Carry water and supplies. More than you think you’ll need, for you and the vehicle. Top up at every town, and keep a few days of food on board on remote stretches.

Share your plan. Mobile reception drops out for long stretches. Tell someone your route and expected arrival, and check in when you’re back in range. On the most remote tracks, many travellers carry a satellite phone or a personal locator beacon.

Drive to the conditions. Take unsealed sections steady, watch for dips and floodways, and avoid driving at dawn, dusk and after dark when kangaroos and stock are about. If a road is closed or flooded, wait it out. It’s never worth the risk.

Travel in the cooler months. For most of the outback, May to September brings mild days and cool nights.

Check road and access info. Some routes cross Aboriginal land or pass through stations and may need a permit or have seasonal closures. A quick check before you go saves surprises.

Central Australia and the Northern Territory

The classic image of the outback, and the best place to start. Red sand, desert ranges and the country’s best-known landmarks, with Alice Springs as a natural base.

Red Centre Way

Loop from Alice Springs  ·  ~700 km  ·  5 to 6 days  ·  mostly sealed, some unsealed

The loop that takes in Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges. It’s the easiest way to see the desert country, and the colour through the day is what brings people back. The Mereenie Loop section is unsealed, so check your vehicle suits it before you commit.

Give Uluru a couple of nights so you catch both sunrise and sunset, and tackle the Kings Canyon Rim Walk early before the heat builds. The waterholes in the West MacDonnells are a welcome cool-off after a few dusty days.

Highlights along the way

• Uluru and Kata Tjuta: unforgettable at sunrise and sunset.
• Kings Canyon: the Rim Walk early in the morning.
• West MacDonnell Ranges: gorges and waterholes for a swim.

The Explorer’s Way (Stuart Highway)

Adelaide to Darwin  ·  ~3,000 km  ·  2 to 3 weeks  ·  sealed the whole way

A full crossing of the country on a sealed highway, which makes it one of the more achievable long outback trips. It links Coober Pedy, Alice Springs, the Red Centre and Katherine before the tropical Top End, and you can do the lot without a 4WD.

Because it’s sealed end to end, this is a great outback trip to do in a campervan. Break it into comfortable days, and treat the roadhouses as part of the experience rather than just fuel stops. Some of the best yarns of the trip happen over a counter meal.

Highlights along the way

• Coober Pedy: the underground opal town.
• Devils Marbles (Karlu Karlu): giant balanced boulders.
• Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk): gorges by foot or by water.

Outback Queensland

Big skies, dinosaur country and proper outback towns. Queensland’s outback is friendlier than its reputation, with sealed touring routes and a warm welcome at the end of a long day.

The Matilda Way and Outback Queensland loops

Inland from Brisbane via Charleville, Longreach, Winton  ·  1 to 2 weeks  ·  mostly sealed

A loop through the heart of outback Queensland, taking in the stockman’s history at Longreach, dinosaur trails around Winton, and artesian spa towns along the way. The roads are largely sealed, so it suits travellers who want the outback experience without heavy off-road driving.

The artesian hot springs are a lovely surprise out here, a proper soak under the stars after a day on the road. Longreach and Winton both reward an unhurried stop, with museums and outback shows that are well worth the time.

Highlights along the way

• Longreach: the Stockman’s Hall of Fame and Qantas Founders Museum.
• Winton: dinosaur trackways and the Australian Age of Dinosaurs.
• Artesian hot springs in towns like Mitchell and Charleville.

Outback New South Wales

Closer to the east-coast cities than people realise, and a good introduction to remote travel. Far-west NSW has classic outback towns, river country and some of the clearest night skies in the country.

The Darling River Run and Broken Hill

Loop from Sydney via Broken Hill  ·  1 to 2 weeks  ·  mix of sealed and unsealed

A route through far-west NSW taking in the mining heritage of Broken Hill, the ancient dry lakebeds of Mungo National Park, and the old river ports along the Darling. It’s outback travel within reach of the east coast, with enough sealed road to keep it manageable.

Broken Hill is a surprisingly arty town with a good food scene, and nearby Silverton has appeared in more than a few films. Time Mungo’s dunes for sunset if you can.

Highlights along the way

• Broken Hill: mining history and a thriving arts scene.
• Mungo National Park: ancient lakebeds and the Walls of China.
• Silverton: the historic film-set town near Broken Hill.

South Australia: the Flinders Ranges and the tracks north

South Australia is the way into some of the country’s best-known outback routes, from the Flinders Ranges to the historic desert tracks heading north toward the Simpson.

Flinders Ranges and the Outback Loop

Loop from Adelaide via the Flinders Ranges  ·  1 week  ·  mostly sealed, some unsealed

A week of old mountain country within reach of Adelaide. The Flinders Ranges give you Wilpena Pound, gorges full of wildlife, and rock formations that go back hundreds of millions of years. It’s one of the easiest ways to see real outback scenery.

The historic Oodnadatta Track pushes much further north from here for the well-prepared, following old railway and stock routes past Lake Eyre. That’s a serious 4WD undertaking, but the Flinders themselves are comfortable for most travellers in the dry.

Highlights along the way

• Wilpena Pound: a huge natural basin ringed by peaks.
• Brachina Gorge: the geological Corridor Through Time.
• Yellow-footed rock wallabies, emus and wedge-tailed eagles.

Western Australia’s Golden Outback

WA’s outback covers a huge area, from the goldfields to wildflower plains and remote tracks further north. There’s a lot of variety, and it rewards travellers who plan well.

The Goldfields and Wave Rock

Loop from Perth via Wave Rock and Kalgoorlie  ·  1 week  ·  mostly sealed

An easy introduction to WA’s outback, taking in the wave-shaped granite of Wave Rock and the gold-rush history of Kalgoorlie. In spring the surrounding plains fill with wildflowers, which is reason enough to time it right.

Kalgoorlie is still a working gold town, and the Super Pit mine is a sight in itself. The drive out is mostly sealed and easy, which makes it a good first inland trip if you’re building up to something bigger.

Highlights along the way

• Wave Rock: the 15-metre granite wave near Hyden.
• Kalgoorlie: the Super Pit and grand gold-rush architecture.
• Wildflowers across the region in spring (roughly August to October).

Gibb River Road (for the experienced)

Derby to Kununurra  ·  ~660 km  ·  5 to 7 days  ·  4WD only, dry season

The Kimberley’s famous track, and a step up in remoteness and self-sufficiency. Gorges, waterfalls and swimming holes reward those equipped for it, but it’s a serious undertaking. A high-clearance 4WD, spares and supplies are essential. We describe the scenery in more detail in our scenic drives guide.

This is the one to graduate to once you’ve got some remote-travel experience behind you. Cattle stations along the way offer camping and basic supplies, but self-sufficiency is the rule, and the reward is some of the most remote, least-crowded country in Australia.

Highlights along the way

• Bell Gorge: a waterfall into clear pools.
• Windjana Gorge: freshwater crocs and an easy walk.
• El Questro: thermal springs and a touch of comfort.

You don’t have to fly inland to reach the outback. Each of the major capitals has a natural route out toward the red country:

From Brisbane: head inland to Charleville and Longreach for the Outback Queensland loop.

From Sydney: track west to Broken Hill, Mungo and the Darling River country.

From Melbourne: run up through the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, or join the Stuart Highway at Port Augusta for the Red Centre.

From Adelaide: the closest capital to the outback, with the Flinders Ranges and the Stuart Highway both within easy reach.

From Perth: the Goldfields and Wave Rock loop is a great first taste of WA’s inland.

Season matters more in the outback than almost anywhere. Travel at the wrong time and the heat or the wet can close a trip down. Get it right and the conditions are superb. As a rule:

May to September: the prime window for most outback regions, with mild days and cool nights.

The Top End and Kimberley: dry season only (roughly May to October); the wet season closes many roads.

Spring in WA and SA: wildflower season adds a whole extra layer to the drive.

Summer: best avoided across the desert, where daytime heat is intense.

One of the most common questions we get is whether you need a four-wheel drive. The honest answer is that it depends on the route.

Sealed routes: the Stuart Highway, the Matilda Way and most of the Red Centre Way are fine in a 2WD camper.

Unsealed and remote tracks: the Gibb River Road, the Oodnadatta Track and the Mereenie Loop need a high-clearance 4WD and proper preparation.

Campervan comfort: for sealed outback touring, a camper is a great way to travel, with your own bed and kitchen at the end of a long day and the freedom to stop where you like.

If you’re not sure which vehicle suits the route you have in mind, this is exactly the kind of thing our team can sort out for you. We’ve driven these roads and know what handles them well, so you end up with the right camper rather than too much or too little vehicle.

What is the best outback road trip in Australia?

The Red Centre Way out of Alice Springs is the classic, with Uluru, Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges on one accessible loop. For a longer journey, the sealed Stuart Highway from Adelaide to Darwin is hard to beat, and the Gibb River Road is the dream for well-equipped four-wheel drivers.

Do you need a 4WD for the outback?

Not for many of the best routes. The Stuart Highway, the Red Centre Way’s sealed sections, the Matilda Way and the Flinders Ranges are all comfortable in a 2WD campervan. A 4WD is only essential for remote unsealed tracks like the Gibb River Road and the Oodnadatta Track.

Is it safe to drive in the outback?

Yes, with sensible preparation. Carry plenty of fuel, water and supplies, share your route, avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night when animals are about, and never push on through a flooded or closed road. Take those precautions and the outback is a wonderful place to travel.

When is the best time to do an outback road trip?

May to September for most regions, when the days are mild and the nights are cool. The Top End and Kimberley are dry-season only. Spring adds wildflowers in WA and SA, while summer is best avoided across the desert.

Can you drive the outback in a campervan?

Yes, on the sealed routes. A campervan is a comfortable, cost-effective way to tour the Stuart Highway, the Red Centre and outback Queensland, with your bed and kitchen always on hand. For the remote unsealed tracks you’ll want a suitable 4WD instead.

What should you pack for an outback road trip?

Beyond the usual camper kit, the outback rewards a few extras: plenty of drinking water, a basic recovery kit, a first-aid kit, sun protection, and more fuel and food than a coastal trip needs. A means of communication off the grid is wise on remote legs. Our campervan packing list covers the rest.

The outback is the trip people remember for the rest of their lives, and it’s a lot easier with the right vehicle under you and someone who’s done it in your corner.

Tell us your travel dates and we’ll build you a personalised camper deal with our best price guarantee, tailored to you. Our team have done these trips themselves, so you get real, money-saving advice along with the keys. Start your free, no-obligation enquiry here.

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