This breathtaking coastal drive is the hottest road trip in Australia right now (spoiler: it's not the Great Ocean Road)
Indicators at the ready! The Great Ocean Road is undoubtedly the most iconic road trip in Australia, but it's time for Victoria's crown jewel to step (or swerve) to the right. Another breathtaking coastal drive has stolen the spotlight as Australia's top trending road trip for 2025, and it packs in arguably more jaw-dropping sights. But hey, we'll let you be the judge of that one…
To uncover the top-trending routes, the car insurance experts at Rollin' analysed year-on-year online search data for 22 of Australia's most popular road trips. Leading by a long way, the Great Barrier Reef Drive sped into first place, recording a remarkable 117 per cent jump in online monthly searches over the past year.
Starting in Cairns, this 140-kilometre journey follows the coast north to Port Douglas and then over to the Great Barrier Reef, where travellers can live out their Little Mermaid dreams. We suggest making a pit stop at Mossman Gorge to swim in croc-safe waters, or take a guided Dreamtime walk through the ancient Daintree Rainforest. From there, continue cruising up to Cape Tribulation, where two immense World Heritage-listed wonders (the reef and the rainforest) meet together in perfect harmony.
Australia's second-hottest road trip right now is the Grand Pacific Drive from Sydney to the Sapphire Coast, which saw an 83 per cent surge in searches. This scenic journey is another favourite for travellers chasing epic ocean views and dramatic cliffside landscapes – and it also brags what might be the most photogenic stretch of road in Australia: the legendary Seacliff Bridge.
The third trendiest road trip is Western Australia's 1,200 kilometre South West Edge from Perth to Esperance, which saw a 33 per cent increase in search interest. Rounding out the top five were two other WA gems: the Gibb River Road and Cape to Cape, both recording a 22 per cent jump in searches. You can discover more of Australia's favourite road trips here.
The 5 top trending road trips in Australia
Great Barrier Reef Drive, QLD
Grand Pacific Drive, NSW
South West Edge, WA
Gibb River Road, WA
Cape to Cape, WA
🚙 The 14 best Australian road trips to do before you die
⭐️ Hobart has been rated as the world's most beautiful road trip destination
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