If you want to plan a rugged and remote road trip in Australia, we have got you covered! You don’t need a four wheel drive everywhere in Australia, but if you are planning to head to a remote region, then chances are you will need to hire a Budget four wheel drive or all-terrain vehicle to traverse the rugged roads and landscapes. Here are five amazing four wheel drive only road trips to choose from while in Australia. We’re sure you’ll find something fun in all the diversity that Australia has to offer.

1. Gibb River Road

Boab Tree on the Gibb River Road Photo Credit: WesternAustralia.com

Bell Gorge Photo Credit: KimberleyAustralia.com

The Gibb River Road trip is one of the best remote road trips in Australia. The Gibb River Road is in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia and the crosses the 600 km between Derby and Kununurra. You should only plan to take this trip during the dry season from May to September. The Kimberley is not very crowded and much of it is yet to be explored. The highlights of the road trip are some of the amazing scenery like Bell Gorge, Windjana Gorge, and the The Mitchell Plateau. Stops along the road trip includ Home Valley Station and El-Questro Wilderness Park where you can do some upscale glamping and will find other lodging accommodations too.

2. Nullarbor Plain / Eyre Highway

Nullarbor Sign on the Eyre Highway Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Bahnfrend – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25679371

Nullarbor Plain Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Yewenyi at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18035853

Nullarbor means “no trees” and that definitely describes the Nullarbor Plain: 270,000 sq km of flat, and pretty barren, definitely remote land. It is the world’s largest limestone karst landscape. The Eyre Highway runs right through the Nullarbor Plain between South Australia and Western Australia and is one of the most rugged desert four wheel drive road trips in Australia. Even though most of the scenery is flat, desert landscape, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything interesting to see on this road trip. The Bunda Cliffs and the Great Australian Bight provide all the scenery you will need. You will understand when you see the dramatic cliffs and beautiful bright blue waters over the edge.

3. Oodnadatta Track

Mound Springs on the Oodnadatta Track Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By David Olsen, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42456673

Blanches Cup Mound Spring on the Oodnadatta Track Photo Credit: WikiTravel

The Oodnadatta Track is one of the easiest four wheel drives in Australia. The road trip covers a distance of 600 km from Maree or Marla in South Australia. Even though the driving is easy, it is one of the most remote and rugged regions in Australia. Be sure to plan to see Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre National Park, definitely a highlight destination in this remote region.

4. Billy Goat Bluff Road

Alpine National Park Photo Credit: Parkweb.vic.gov.au

Alpine National Park Photo Credit: Parkweb.vic.gov.au

Australia definitely has a big variety of four wheel drive road trips to offer. Billy Goat Bluff Road is a great example of this diversity compared to the road trips we have already featured. This road trip takes you up in the Australian Alps in the panoramic Victorian High Country of Alpine National Park. The whole road trip is only 300 km long, but it takes about three days to traverse the mountain roads and this road trip is only for experienced four wheel drivers. The road from Mansfield to Harrietville reaches an elevation of 1.480 feet above sea level. This road trip offers up some of the most beautiful and picturesque mountain scenery in Australia. The best time to take this trip is during the summer between December and April to avoid icy road conditions. Don’t worry about missing the snow because you will be treated to summer in the mountains featuring boating, fishing, hiking, camping, and scenic views of the valleys and waterfalls.

5. Old Telegraph Track

Old Telegraph Track Photo Credit: Cape-York-Australia.com

Bertie Creek on the Old Telegraph Track / Cape York Track Photo Credit: Cape-York-Australia.com

One of the only remote and rugged scenes left out of our variety of Australian landscapes is a tour through the tropical Far North of Queensland. That road trip is called the Old Telegraph Track. It is located in the Cape York Peninsula at the northern tip of Queensland and is sometimes referred to as the Cape York Track. The road trip covers 848 km from Cooktown to Seisia. The best time for this trip is during the dry season from May to October. That is also the best time for the climate because although it is hot and humid all year long, it is a little cooler and drier during this time. It also means that the roads are usually passable and not flooded over. If you follow the road trip itinerary for the entire 848 km, it takes about 24 days. Of course, when you have your own rental vehicle, you can make your own trek and turn around when you choose to. Highlights along the Old Telegraph Track include Fruit Bat Falls, Eliot Falls and Twin Falls swimming holes, plus Old Laura Station, Lakefield National Park, Weipa, Thursday Island, Chili Beach, and Jardine River National Park.