Highway 1 (Australia)
Discover Highway 1 (Australia)
Highway 1 of Australia is with a length of 14,500 km (9,000 mi), the longest national highway in the world. It can be considered a giant "ring road" as it, except for a few shortcuts, follows the entire coastline of mainland Australia. Part of the road also traverses Tasmania. Circumnavigating mainland Australia, this road goes through all states and their capitals and through or near most major attractions in Australia (two major omissions being Canberra and Uluru). Therefore, if you have time and don't mind long driving distances this is one of the best ways to see almost all of Australia.
What to Experience in Highway 1 (Australia)
Taste of Highway 1 (Australia)...
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Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsIf you come from abroad you will probably arrive by plane to one of the state capitals and buy or rent the vehicle that you will make the trip with. As this is a circular itinerary, you can complete it by starting at any point and travel either clockwise or anticlockwise until you're back where you started. In this article the trip goes clockwise and starts and ends in Sydney. Sydney itself is famous for its opera house and the Harbour Bridge and is probably the most common point of entry to Australia from abroad. The coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne along Princes Highway can be done with an overnight stop within two days, although you could probably take some time and spend at least four days on the road, with a couple of hours at each stop to thoroughly enjoy the South Coast. Lots of wildlife from whales, dolphins to seals if you keep an eye out, and plenty of seagulls and pelicans....
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Safety advice given in the Driving in Australia article also applies to this itinerary.