Australia Road Trip Guide
Australia is one of those places where the drive itself is the point.
For most Singaporeans, it’s a genuinely different experience from driving anywhere in the region. Roads are wider and emptier, and the landscape shifts every few hours — coastline to mountain range to wine country to towns that feel frozen sometime around 1987. The pace drops whether you want it to or not.
More Singaporeans are renting a car and figuring it out as they go, rather than booking a hotel-to-hotel city trip. Here’s what to know before you do.
Explore more curated travel experiences with Tailwinds Travels.
Where to Start
Sydney
Sydney gives you:
- Coastal NSW drives
- The Blue Mountains
- Scenic East Coast access
Melbourne
Melbourne is the obvious base for:
- The Great Ocean Road
- Victoria road trips
- Café culture and wineries
Perth
Perth is quieter and more remote — Western Australia starts here.
Ideal for:
- Long scenic drives
- Beaches
- Wine regions
- Less crowded experiences
Brisbane
Brisbane suits families who want manageable drives to:
- The Gold Coast
- Sunshine Coast
- Family-friendly coastal towns
The Great Ocean Road
- The Twelve Apostles
- Loch Ard Gorge
- The Otway rainforest
- Small towns wedged between cliffs and sea
Give it two to five days.
The roads are easy, the weather is generally forgiving, and there are enough good stops that it never feels like an endurance test. It’s a solid introduction to what Australian road trips actually feel like.
Travellers who enjoy scenic slow travel may also like our New Zealand travel guide for Singaporeans.
Tasmania
It suits:
- Couples
- Slow travellers
- Nature-focused trips
- Luxury lodge experiences
The luxury lodges here also punch well above what they’d cost elsewhere.
Looking for more premium travel inspiration? Explore our luxury travel trends for Singapore travellers in 2026.
Western Australia
- Wine regions
- Good beaches
- Relaxed driving conditions
Go further north along the Coral Coast or east toward Esperance and the distances get serious.
WA rewards the longer journey.
Roads are emptier, crowds are smaller, and the sunsets over the Indian Ocean are almost unreasonably good.
Driving as a Singaporean
Distances Are Deceptive
What looks like a short hop on Google Maps can still be three hours.
Leave more time in each day than you think you need.
Wildlife on Roads
Wildlife wanders onto roads — kangaroos especially, mostly around dusk.
Avoid long regional drives after dark where you can.
Petrol Gaps
Petrol gaps are real in remote areas, particularly in Western Australia.
Check before leaving each town.
Speed Cameras
Australia enforces highway limits seriously.
Budget for the actual speed limit.
What It Costs
| Style | Daily Budget |
|---|---|
| Budget | SGD 150–250 |
| Mid-range | SGD 350–600 |
| Luxury | SGD 800+ |
Australia isn’t a cheap destination.
Car hire, petrol, accommodation, and meals add up fast. The experience quality is consistently high though — roads that work, accommodation that delivers, and food worth stopping for.
If budget matters, read our Thailand vs Vietnam cost comparison guide.
When to Go
| Region | Best Window |
|---|---|
| Great Ocean Road | October–April |
| Tasmania | December–March |
| Sydney & East Coast | September–November |
| Western Australia | September–November |
| Outback | May–August |
Spring and autumn hit the sweet spot for most Singaporeans — warm without the summer crowds.
The Café Culture Thing
Australia has genuinely good cafés, and they become part of the rhythm of a road trip in a way that’s hard to predict.
You stop for coffee and end up sitting there an hour. A winery lunch bleeds into the afternoon. The day reorganises itself around the stops.
It sounds small. It’s actually a big part of why people enjoy these trips more than they expected.
You may also enjoy our Vietnam travel tips from Singapore guide for another slow-travel experience.
One Last Thing
The most common thing people say after an Australia road trip is that the drive mattered more than any single destination.
Pick a region, rent something comfortable, and build in more time than you think you need.
The trip tends to find its own shape once you’re in it.
Plan Your Australia Road Trip with Tailwinds Travels
Whether you’re planning:
- A Great Ocean Road drive
- Tasmania escapes
- Western Australia road trips
- Family self-drive holidays
- Luxury scenic journeys
Tailwinds Travels helps Singapore travellers create personalized Australia itineraries designed around comfort, flexibility, and meaningful travel experiences.
Ready to plan your road trip? Visit our travel planning page.