Country guide
The best driving roads in Australia
All 17 driving roads in Australia on one interactive map, including 1 world icon, each with its route, climb and best seasons.
Roads171 world icon
Combined807 mi1,299 km of driving
High point1,841 m6,040 ft
The five to build a trip around
Our ranking, icons first, with the reasoning on the table. All 17 roads follow below.
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1
28 mi58 minGreat Ocean Road
The famous 45 km between Lorne and Apollo Bay, built by returned WWI soldiers and squeezed between the Otways and the surf.
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2
1,544 msummitMount Buffalo Road
A historic hairpin climb from Porepunkah onto the granite-tor plateau of Mount Buffalo, engineered in 1908.
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3
1,331 msummitThunderbolts Way
Hairpin escarpment climb from Gloucester to Walcha over the Great Dividing Range.
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4
58 mi1 h 50 minCaves Road
A winding tunnel of karri forest and vineyards running the length of the Margaret River wine country between two capes.
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5
18 mi41 minMacquarie Pass
Steep, tight hairpin climb of the Illawarra escarpment between Albion Park and Robertson.
The roads
Mount Buffalo Road21 mi · 44 min · 7 hairpinsView the roadbook ›
Great Ocean Road
Caves Road
Thunderbolts Way
Macquarie Pass
Captain Cook Highway
Alpine Way
Black Spur Drive
Putty Road
Gibb River Road
Lyell Highway
Grand Pacific Drive
Great Alpine Road
Oxley Highway
Gillies Range Road
Waterfall Way
Gordon River Road
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Nearby countries
New Zealand
Indonesia
MalaysiaDriving in Australia: common questions
What is the best driving road in Australia?
Mount Buffalo Road is the place to start. A historic hairpin climb from Porepunkah onto the granite-tor plateau of Mount Buffalo, engineered in 1908.
How many great driving roads does Australia have?
17 roads in our catalogue, including 1 world icon, 807 miles of driving in all, every one traced from OpenStreetMap.
When is the best time to drive in Australia?
Most of the roads here are at their best in autumn and spring.
What is the highest road in Australia?
Great Alpine Road is the highest, climbing to about 1,841 m (6,040 ft).