There are so many incredible coast to coast drives in Australia that are perfect for a road trip; it’s so great to start and finish by the ocean, with all kinds of inland adventures in between. If you’re heading north east, a great option is to fly into Cairns, hire a car and drive to Darwin. There’s an easy eight day trip in there if you want to stop at all the interesting places that present themselves along the way. It’s a three day drive at a push, but there’s a route inland that tacks on an extra four hours if you want an even more scenic drive.

Cairns itself has so much to offer - most famously, the wonder that is the Great Barrier Reef. Two hours north of the city you’ll also find the Daintree Cape Tribulation Rainforest, a world heritage site well worth a visit. A great first leg is Cairns to Townsville (around four hours). There you can check out the local cafe culture, take a day trip to Magnetic Island, see Australia’s largest shipwreck or just mooch around town. The botanic gardens are very popular too.

The next day divert towards Mt Isa, with an overnight stop at Richmond for a walk around, or swim in Lake Fred Tritton. If you have time, check out award-winning attraction Kronosaurus Korner, the only museum in Australia primarily dedicated to displaying marine reptiles, including Minmi, considered to be Australia's best preserved dinosaur skeleton fossil.

Mt Isa is known for mining, you can even do a tour of working mine. It’s kind of an oasis in the harsh outback nestled among the ochre-red Selwyn Ranges and on the banks of the Leichhardt River (Fun fact: it’s also home to the world's third largest rodeo). Don’t miss Lawn Hill Gorge in Boodjamulla National Park and the world heritage listed, Riversleigh Fossil Fields.

It’s up to you where you stop next but the Barkly Homestead provides a break in the outback as you cross into the NT - see native animals run in the wild, or experience an outback sunset. Daly Waters is also a quintessential Aussie town to break journey in. The last leg will take you into Katherine, well known for its waterways - definitely take a cruise through the mighty Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park if time permits. This area is known for crocs so if you’re interested, there are plenty of farms and research facilities to see these guys at their snappy best.

Once in Darwin you can’t miss a 1.5 hour drive to Kakadu National Park. There’s a reason so many tourists flock to this area. Learn about aborignial culture right onsite on sacred land, explore the rainforest, swim in the natural pools. It’s the perfect end to a long drive through a gorgeous part of the country.