Road trips worth the drive.
14 routes across Australia and New Zealand, each planned stop by stop with real drive times from road-routing data, where to spend the night, and the tours that get you where a van can't. Pick one, tell us your dates, and we'll check the big brands for the best van at the best price.
🇦🇺 Australia
Sydney → Cairns
Surf towns, sand islands and the Reef, one coastline the whole way.
- Distance
- ≈ 3,000 km
- Stops
- 13 overnight bases
Brisbane → Cairns
Sunshine Coast surf, K'gari, the Whitsundays and the Reef, heading north into the tropics.
- Distance
- ≈ 2,000 km
- Stops
- 9 overnight bases
Melbourne → Adelaide
The Great Ocean Road, the Grampians and the Limestone Coast, finishing in wine country.
- Distance
- ≈ 1,200 km
- Stops
- 9 overnight bases
Tasmania loop
Wild coast, alpine lakes and a food scene that punches way above its size.
- Distance
- ≈ 1,200 km
- Stops
- 8 overnight bases
Darwin → Adelaide
Straight down the middle of the continent, from crocodile country to the Flinders.
- Distance
- ≈ 4,600 km
- Stops
- 12 overnight bases
Cairns → Brisbane
The tropical half of the East Coast, Reef first and finishing in the city.
- Distance
- ≈ 2,000 km
- Stops
- 9 overnight bases
Perth → Broome
Pink lakes, wild dolphins, the world's biggest fringing reef and red-rock gorges, all the way to Cable Beach.
- Distance
- ≈ 3,350 km
- Stops
- 9 overnight bases
South West WA loop
Wineries and surf breaks, giant karri forests, kangaroos on white sand and a wave made of granite.
- Distance
- ≈ 2,000 km
- Stops
- 9 overnight bases
Brisbane → Melbourne
The whole south-east coast: Byron's surf, Sydney Harbour, Jervis Bay and the Prom.
- Distance
- ≈ 2,300 km
- Stops
- 11 overnight bases
Brisbane → Sydney
A week of NSW surf towns, from Byron Bay down to the Harbour Bridge.
- Distance
- ≈ 1,000 km
- Stops
- 6 overnight bases
Melbourne → Darwin
South coast to the Top End, through the Grampians, the Flinders and the red centre.
- Distance
- ≈ 5,300 km
- Stops
- 14 overnight bases
🇳🇿 New Zealand
North Island loop
Subtropical bays, glowworm caves, steaming earth and a volcano you can walk across.
- Distance
- ≈ 1,550 km
- Stops
- 8 overnight bases
Christchurch → Queenstown
Whales, golden-sand bays, rainforest glaciers and the big alpine lakes.
- Distance
- ≈ 1,750 km
- Stops
- 9 overnight bases
Queenstown southern loop
Fiordland, the wild Catlins coast, penguins and Aoraki, back to Queenstown.
- Distance
- ≈ 1,450 km
- Stops
- 8 overnight bases
Road trip FAQs
How long do I need for a campervan road trip? +
Tasmania or a North Island loop works in 10–12 days, and Melbourne to Adelaide via the Great Ocean Road in about 10. Sydney to Cairns or Christchurch to Queenstown is best over two to three weeks, and Darwin to Adelaide takes at least 14 days to do properly. Each route page shows a day-by-day plan you can stretch or squeeze.
Is there a fee for a one-way campervan hire? +
Usually, yes. Operators charge a one-way fee that varies by season and route. Loops (Tasmania, North Island, Queenstown) avoid it entirely. We show any one-way fee upfront in your quote.
Can I take a hire campervan onto K'gari (Fraser Island) or unsealed roads? +
No for K'gari. Rental campervans aren't allowed on the island, so you park up and join a 4WD tour. Most standard vans also can't go on unsealed roads; if your route needs them, ask us about a 4WD camper.
Where can I sleep in a campervan? +
Holiday parks, national park campsites and free or low-cost sites found with WikiCamps (Australia) or CamperMate (New Zealand). In New Zealand, freedom camping on council land requires a certified self-contained van.
Got your own route in mind?
Tell us where you want to start and finish. We'll check the big brands and send you the best rate, with tours built in if you want them.
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