Off the beaten track Aussie driving adventures: Gold Coast to Sydney, Perth to Margaret River & Hobart to Launceston

Get ready as DAVID BOWDEN puts pedal to the metal and takes you on three off the beaten track adventures through the great outdoors that is Australia. 

Be your own guide with a self-drive Aussie holiday, but plan carefully. Australia is a vast continent spanning more than 4,000 kilometres east to west, outlined by attention - grabbing coastlines and studded with lush rainforests, urban landscapes, quaint towns and an awe-inspiring outback. Travel less in order to see more and escape the most visited cities for the countryside to truly appreciate the nation's natural assets and rural hospitality.

Gold Coast to Sydney
ROUTE Roughly 700 kilometres, this is a 10-hour drive. A week allows time to visit must-see places along the way including Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley.
TO DO With an endless strip of golden sand and major theme parks such as Warner Brothers Movieworld (www.movieworld.myfun.com.au) Dreamworld(www.dreamworld.com.au) and SeaWorld (www.seaworld.myfun.com.au), it's no wonder the Gold Coast - just a six hours flight from Singapore - is referred to as Australia's holiday playground. Wine and dine on Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise or shop at Pacific Fair shopping centre (www.pacificfair.com.au). For a touch of comfort, check into the luxurious Sofitel Gold Coast (www.sofitelgoldcoast.com.au).
     Cross the Queensland border into New South Wales then drive 45 minutes to Australia's most easterly point, Byron Bay 1, for beach culture best described as hip, cool and alternative. A short 20-minute detour to Bangalow, takes you to a picturesque art-lover's and gourmet's paradise. Market day (www.bangalowmarket.com.au), on the fourth Sunday of every month, sees a maze of stalls emerge, brimming with organic produce, alternative therapies and locally-grown macadamia nuts and coffee.
     Head south, past national parks through Northern Rivers' cane fields and escape into seclusion at Corindi Beach, a small seaside town with a population of only 834 people and ideal for a quiet overnight retreat. Head down to Coffs Harbour 2 or further afield to Port Macquarie 3, both established seaside destinations with excellent recreational activities and accommodation choices. Golf enthusiasts will find themselves only a few hours from tee off at one off Port Stephens 4 many golf resorts including Le Meilleur Horizons Golf Resort (www.horizons.com.au) and Pacific Dunes Golf Club(www.pacificdunesgolf.com.au). Try surfing lessons, dolphin watching or even sand duning in a four by four before heading onto the Hunter Valley 5, Australia's oldest wine growing district, famous for its Semillon and Shiraz wines produced in renowned vineyards like Lindemans (www.lindemans.com), Margan (www.margan.com.au) and Bimbadgen (www.bimbadgen.com.au). Stay at Hunter Resort (www.hunterresort.com.au) and enjoy many facilities including a wine appreciation course. Wake refreshed for your two-hour drive into Sydney. Cross the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge (www.bridgeclimb.com) and spend the remainder of your vacation discovering one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.
CONTACT Queensland Tourism (www.tq.com.au) and Tourism NSW (www.visitnsw.com).

Perth to Margaret River
ROUTE Around 300 kilometres steer you south to Fremantle, Mandurah, Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River and then a swift return via Donnybrook heading north back into Perth via a recently opened freeway.
TO DO Start your journey with a short 15 kilometres drive from Perth and visit the historic port of Fremantle 1(www.fremantle.wa.gov.au) with its trendy bars, cafés and restaurants. Microbreweries such as Little Creatures (www.littlecreatures.com.au), Cicerello's fish café (www.cicerellos.com.au) and the original Dôme coffeeshop (www.domecoffees.com.au) provide an ample selection for a perfect chill-out day.
     Alternatively, drive 30-minutes from the city centre to the Swan Valley (www.swanvalley.com.au), Western Australia's oldest wine region well-known for its orchard-lined roads, wineries, gourmet food producers, restaurants and wildlife attractions. Back on the highway and heading south towards the City of Rockingham 2 (www.rockingham.wa.gov.au), drive to Mandurah along the 30 kilometres "golf coast", known for its three championship courses - The Links Kennedy Bay (www.kennedybay.com.au), Secret Harbour Golf Links (www.secretharbourgolflinks.com.au) and Meadow Springs Golf & Country Club (www.msgcc.com.au).
     At Bunbury 3, take a pit stop and visit the Dolphin Discovery Centre (www.dolphindiscovery.com.au) to learn more about wild dolphin conservation and join these enlightened mammals in their natural environment.
     Drive on to Busselton 4 (www.busselton.wa.gov.au) and take time-out to visit the recently refurbished Busselton Jetty (www.busseltonjetty.com.au) stretching 1.8 kilometres into Geographe Bay and boasting a spectacular Underwater Observatory, Jetty Train, swimming and diving platforms and a selection of restaurants. Consider a night in the luxurious Aqua Resort (www.theaquaresort.com.au) nestled in eight and half acres of mature peppermint woodlands with direct beach frontage.
     Next stop Dunsborough 5 (www.dunsborough.com), where western Australians revel in absolute tranquillity. Relax and recharge at the Amalfi Resort (15 Earnshaw Road, Dunsborough) before continuing onto the vineyards of Margaret River. Visit providores selling delicious local products or take a tour through notable wineries like Voyager Estate
(www.voyagerestate.com.au), Howard Park (www.howardparkwines.com.au), Xanadu (www.xanaduwines.com), Leeuwin Estate (www.leeuwinestate.com.au) and Vasse Felix (www.vassefelix.com.au). Also visit the many micro-breweries and dine at must (www.must.com.au) - a wine bar and bistro - or the new BoHo Bar (www.darkhorsedevelopments.com.au).
     Chocoholics won't want to miss the Margaret River Chocolate Company (www.chocolatefactory.com.au). Savour indulgent tastings, watch chocolate products being made, dine at the chocolate café or select from a mouth-watering range of chocolate coated delights, hand made truffles, novelty chocolates, ice cream, chocolate milk and a variety of chocolate cakes and deserts. A great opportunity to stock up on gifts or simply purchase supplies for your return journey north to Perth.
CONTACT Western Australia Tourism (www.westernaustralia.com)

Hobart to Launceston
ROUTE Take a one-hour flight from Melbourne to Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, then drive northeast to Richmond, Orford, Swansea, Freycinet, Campbell Town, Ross, Perth, Evandale and Launceston.
TO DO Although Tasmania is Australia's smallest state, it offers a stellar line up of tourist attractions. Set against a picturesque harbour backdrop, Hobart is Australia's second oldest city. Watch the daily catch being unloaded at the docks in front of Henry Jones Art Hotel (www.thehenryjones.com) and dine on fresh seafood at the famous Mures (www.mures.com.au).
     If you're visiting on a Saturday, drop by the Salamanca Markets(www.salamanca.com.au) and select from a range of goods offered by more than 300 stallholders selling fresh food, local gourmet produce, arts, crafts and international handiworks. Take the Kelly's Steps, built in the 1830s out of massive sandstone blocks to historic Battery Point (www.batterypoint.net) - one of those locations you need to explore on foot. Stay at Moorilla Estate (www.moorilla.com.au) in a luxurious one or two-bedroom pavilion and enjoy contemporary French cuisine at The Source restaurant.
     Head 25 kilometres north to the historic Georgian village of Richmond 1 and enjoy the cosy pubs, cottages, old stone bridge and period shops. Drive to Orford 2 and Louisville then jump on a ferry to Maria Island national park (www.tassie.org.au/mariaisland) for some bushwalking, swimming and snorkelling. For something captivating, do time in a convict cell with an overnight stay in Darlington's old penitentiary. On your return to the mainland, enjoy the scenic drive through rural land and forest to Swansea 3 by the sea. Continue on to Freycinet National Park and enjoy some of Tassie's finest beaches, bays and nature walks.
     When driving towards Campbell Town deviate south to Ross 4, famous for its merino superfine wool. Head back north to the town of Perth 5 and taste some of the world's finest honey produced by bees from the nectar of the Leatherwood flower and sold by the Tasmanian Honey Company in colourful tins packaged for your trip home. Pure berry jams and sauces are available at the Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company (www.gourmetsauce.com.au) in nearby Evandale. Or stay and explore Brickendon Farm (www.brickendon.com.au), one of Australia's oldest privately owned estates.
     Arriving at the end of your journey in Launceston, check into Peppers Seaport Hotel (www.peppers.com.au) before exploring local landmarks including the old railway workshop, now converted into the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (www.qvmag.tas.gov.au) showcasing Tasmania's convict history and colonial decorative arts. One last must do and just 20 minutes from Launceston by car, are the Tamar Valley vineyards. Treat your palate to fine premium wines at Josef Cromy (www.josefchromy.com.au), Goaty Hill (www.goatyhill.com), Delamere Vineyards (www.delamerevineyards.com.au) and Pipers Brook (www.pipersbrook.com).
CONTACT Tourism Tasmania (www.discovertasmania.com)


Posted Aug 2011