The Ultimate 6 Month Australia Road Trip Itinerary

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As many of our readers know, we took off on a big Australia road trip that lasted for 18 months. While most people don’t have over a year to spend exploring one country, it’s not unheard of to plan for a 6 month road trip of Australia.

I would say 6 months is the perfect amount of time to spend exploring Australia. You can spend a good amount of time in the Outback, explore the East Coast more leisurely, and even throw in a trip to Tasmania in that timeframe.

We took 6 months to explore New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, but that’s only because we tied in work and travel, as well as homeschooling two small kids.

You could easily include the Northern Territories, The Red Center, South Australia and the West Coast into an epic 6 month trip.

Having explored the entire continent of Australia and leaving no stone unturned, we’ve come up with the ultimate 6 month Australia itinerary for those who need a little help with the planning stage…

Can you do a lap of Australia in 6 months?

But first, can you visit Australia in 6 months? The answer is yes, absolutely.

I would say that it would take around 4 months to drive around the country and spend a good amount of time in each place, but 6 months allows you to travel a bit slower, take your time more leisurely, and stay longer in places that you really enjoyed.

The great Aussie road trip, also called “doing the lap”, is a dream of many and not a day goes by that I don’t pinch myself and realize how fortunate we were to be able to do it ourselves.

At A Glance: A 6 Month Road Trip Itinerary for Australia

If you are short on time, and need a quick overview of an itinerary to get your planning started, here is our suggested itinerary at a glance.

• Week 1: Melbourne. Spend a week exploring the city, take day trips to Phillip Island, Morning Peninsula, Yarra Valley and The Grampians.
• Week 2: The Great Ocean Road. Spend a week driving the iconic Great Ocean Road route towards Adelaide.
• Week 3: Adelaide, Barossa Valley, Kangaroo Island. Spend a day or two in Adelaide before visiting the nearby Barossa Valley for 2-3 days of wine tasting and exploring the charming countryside. Take a trip to Kangaroo Island for 2-3 days.
• Week 4: Alice Springs and The Red Center. Take the Ghan Train from Adelaide…