Back Roads Australia (Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

266 Pages·2011·23.44 MB·English

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
BACK ROADS
AUSTR ALIA
SCENIC ROUTES BUSHWALKING WINE TOURS
• •
Vaughan Springs Yuendumu
YALPIRAKINU
YUNKANJINI AAAA
Lake Bennett Tilmmmoooouuuuuuttttthhhhhh WWWWWeeeeeelllllllllll
Lake Lewis
Papunya
Mt SSSSSSSSSSSS1111ooooooooooooooo3333333nnnn88888888dddd00000000000000eeeeeeemmmmmmmmmmmmrrrrrrr MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccccccccccccccDDDDDDDDDDDDooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll RRRRRRRRRRRRRaaaaaaaannnn
HAASTS BLUFF
GGlleeeennnnnn HHHHeeeeellllleeeeeeennnnnnn RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRReeeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssoooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrtttttttttt
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggaaaaaaaaaaaaa HHHHHHeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnssssssbbbbbbuuuuurrrgggg
22 altukatjaPrUaElTuNEruaRtt-MKiiLNooooaaaaaaaaannnnnnAettttttttttttkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaNellllllll lT TTTTTTTTTTTTT eNPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPjjjjjjjjjjjjaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrtttttttttttttttttttttaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkkkkNatLAAAAAAAALAioaaaaaaaWmmmmmmmmmYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYnkkkkkkkauuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaeeeeeetKKKKKKKKKKKllllllllllllldddddddddaddaaaaaaaa PPPPPPAAAAAArrrrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaraarraaarrrraaaauuuuuuuTTTTTTTTkkkkkkkkkkrrrrrrrrrssssssIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkkkkkkTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLAAAAAiiilllSSSSSSaaSSSSSSSSEEETTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRR NNNNNNNNNN HHHHHHHHaaaaaaFFIIIIttttiiiiiiiiGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGnnnnooooHHHHHkkkkknnnnneeaaaWWWWWWWWWWWWWa MMMMGGGllllPPPP AAAAAPPPPPaaaaaaaooooooYYYYYaaaaaarrrruulllllllllu rrrrgrrggggmmmmmnnnkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeetttrrrFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFiiiiiinnnnnkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeee88 77EEErrrllldddd
LEISURELY DRIVES KKKKKaaaaaattttttaaaa1111 0000TTTT6666jjjuuuuu9999ttttttmmmmaaaaa U8UUUU888866666llllluuuuu777rrrrmmmuuuuu EEbbeennneeezzzeeerrr
tevensssoooonnnn111sss333 PPP1111eee999999aaaammmmmmmkkkk KKKKAAAAUUUUUUUUTTTLLLLLLLLLAAUUUU TTTTTRRRRJJJJJJUUUUUUUUUUU-----TTTTTTTAAAAAA MMMMMMuuuulllgggaaa PPPaaarrrrrkkkkk KKuuuuullllllgggggggeeeeeeeeerrrrrrraaaaaa
gggeeeessss

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
BACK ROADS

AUSTR ALIA

EYEWITNESS TRAVEL
BACK ROADS
AUSTR ALIA
Contributors
Jarrod Bates, Lara Dunston, Andrew Harris,
Elizabeth Re, Jessica Syme, Steve Womersley
CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS BOOK 6
INTRODUCING AUSTRALIA 8
PUBLISHER Douglas Amrine
LIST MANAGER Vivien Antwi GETTING TO AUSTRALIA 10 Above Golden sandy beach, near Darwin,
Northern Territory
EDITORIAL Michelle Crane, Georgina
PRACTICAL INFORMATION 12
Palffy, Hugh Thompson, Fay Franklin,
Drive 5
Vicki Allen
DRIVING IN AUSTRALIA 16
DESIGN Shahid Mahmood, Steve Bere NEW ENGLAND TABLELAND
PRODUCTION CONTROLLER WHERE TO STAY 24
Coffs Harbour to
Linda Dare
WHERE TO EAT 26 Tweed Heads 70
PICTURE RESEARCH Ellen Root,
Marta Bescos 6 days
THE DRIVES 28
DTP Jason Little, Jamie McNeill
Drive 6
CARTOGRAPHY MANAGER Drive 1
Uma Bhattacharya MOUNTAINS, VALLEYS, AND
SENIOR CARTOGRAPHIC EDITOR REEF AND RAINFOREST
Casper Morris VINES
Mission Beach to
CARTOGRAPHY Sydney to Brooklyn 80
Stuart James, Jasneet Arora The Daintree 30
4–5 days
ILLUSTRATIONS 4 days
Arun Pottirayil Drive 7
Drive 2
Colour reproduction by Media GLORIOUS GIPPSLAND
Development Printing Ltd, UK VOLCANIC HILLS
Printed and bound in China by Wonthaggi to
South China Printing Co Ltd Caloundra to the
Harrietville 92
First published in the United States in 2011 by Glasshouse Mountains 40
Dorling Kindersley Publishing, Inc., 375 Hudson 4–5 days
Street, New York 10014 3 days
First American Edition 2011 Drive 8
10 11 12 13 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Drive 3
PENINSULA TOUR
Copyright 2010 © Dorling GOLD COAST BACK COUNTRY
Kindersley Limited, London Mornington to Coolart
A Penguin Company Burleigh Heads to Wetlands and
All rights reserved. No part of this publication Brisbane 46 Homestead 102
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any means, 3–4 days 1–2 days
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without the prior written
Drive 4
permission of the copyright owner.
A CIP catalogue record is available from the CLASSIC EAST COAST DRIVE
Library of Congress.
ISBN 978 0 7566 6961 4 Noosa to Manly 56
6 days
Front cover Bunyeroo Valley, Flinders Ranges
Below The impressive Devils Marbles, near Below The Yarra River, in the heart
Tennant Creek, Northern Territory of Melbourne, Victoria
Above Spectacular Triplet Falls, Great Otway Above The majestic Twelve Apostles, Port Above Pleasure boats in the marina in
National Park, Victoria Campbell National Park, Victoria Manly Harbour, Queensland
Drive 9 Drive 14 Drive 19
GREAT OCEAN ROAD VINEYARDS AND ROCKY RANGES PIONEERS AND PROSPECTORS
Melbourne to Ballarat 1 08 Birdwood to Guildford to Boulder 214
6–7 days Parachilna 156 4 days
Drive 10 5–6 days Drive 20
GOLDFIELDS AND SPA COUNTRY Drive 15 WAVES, WHALES, AND WINE
Melbourne to THE TOP END Bunbury to Cape
Castlemaine 120 Leeuwin 224
Darwin to Territory
4–5 days Wildlife Park 166 4–5 days
5–7 days
Drive 11 Drive 21
COASTLINE AND CONVICTS Drive 16 THE GREAT SOUTHERN
Hobart to Port Arthur INTO THE RED CENTER Blackwood River Valley
Historic Site 130 Katherine to Aileron 178 to Cape Arid National
2–3 days 5 days Park 234
4–5 days
Drive 12 Drive 17
Drive 22
WILDERNESS AND WILD RIVERS THROUGH THE MACDONNELL
THE NULLARBOR CROSSING
Launceston to Strahan 138 RANGES
Norseman to Port
4–5 days Alice Springs to
Augusta 246
Drive 13 Kata Tjuta 190 4–6 days
6–7 days
SOUTH AUSTRALIA’S COASTAL
GEMS Drive 18
INDEX 258
Adelaide to Mount WEST COAST WONDERLAND
Gambier 148 Perth to Cape Range
3 days National Park 202 Title page: Road winding around Cape Byron, New
South Wales Half-title page: Scenic route through
7 days Walpole-Nornalup National Park, Western Australia
Below Simpsons Gap water hole in the West Below Traditional 19th century building, near Below Wild flowers near the coast in Cape Le Grande
MacDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory Castlemaine, Victoria National Park, Western Australia

About this Book 7
About this Book
The 22 driving tours in this guide reflect the you might spot a wedge-tailed eagle or a
fantastic diversity of Australia. The sixth-largest kangaroo from a bus or a train, it will be a fleeting
country in the world, yet relatively sparsely moment. In your own vehicle, you can stop and
populated, Australia has great expanses of road take it all in at a pace that suits you. Whether it is
– from multi-lane freeways to bumpy dirt trails. a drive through the vineyards of the Hunter Valley
The majority of its towns and cities are strung out from Sydney or the Great Ocean Road from
around the country’s coastal circumference. While Melbourne, tackling the red-dirt tracks of the
distances are daunting, flying means missing the Outback in a 4WD, exploring remote beaches,
gradually changing scenery – a quintessential or sleeping in a national park under the stars,
aspect of the Australian experience. And while Australia is made for driving tours.
Getting Started Northern Territory’s Top End, and from
The front section of the guide gives the vineyards of the Barossa Valley to Using the Sheet Map
you all the practical information you the wheatbelt of Western Australia. A pull-out road map of the entire
need to plan and enjoy a driving trip Each drive begins with a list of country is attached inside the
in Australia. It includes an overview highlights and a clearly mapped back cover. This map contains
of when to go and how to get there, itinerary. There is advice on the best all the information you need to
advice on renting a vehicle and time of year to undertake the drive, drive around the country and
details of any documentation road conditions, market days, and to navigate between the tours.
required. In-depth driving advice major festival dates. The tour pages All freeways, major roads, and
ranges from driving rules to road contain descriptions of each stop on airports – both domestic and
conditions, from buying fuel to the route, linked by clear driving international – plus all the ferry
breakdown or accident procedures – instructions. Side panels contain ports are easily identified. This
the kind of background knowledge information on the most authentic makes the pull-out map an
that helps make a driving trip stress- places to stay and eat, as well as excellent addition to the drive
free. There is information on money, details of local activities, and tinted itinerary maps within the book.
opening times, communication, boxes relate background information. The pull-out map also has a
health and safety, and other practical Most drives feature a mapped town comprehensive index to help you
matters, as well as advice on or countryside walking tour, designed find your destination, and is
accommodation and dining options, to take a maximum of three hours at further supplemented by a clear
to ensure that you enjoy the an easy pace with stops along the way. distance chart, so you can gauge
authentic Australian experience. The tours are flexible: some can be the distances between the major
linked to create a longer driving tour; cities in Australia.
The Drives or they can be dipped into as day trips
The main section of the guide is while based in a region.
divided into drives, ranging from two
to seven days in duration. The tours
can all be driven in a standard vehicle,
although there are a few excursions
suitable for 4WD vehicles only.
The drives encompass every region
of the country, from the glorious
beaches of Queensland’s Sunshine
Coast to the wilderness of the
Top far left Driving in the Flinders Ranges, South
Australia Top left Hay bale at a Shepherds Flat
farm, Central Victoria Center far left Night view of
Perth’s waterfront center Center left Roadside
mailboxes in front of Mount Roland, Tasmania Far
left Bakery in Hobart, Tasmania Left Two Peoples
Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia Right
Sculpture at Wave Rock, Western Australia