Top five Australian islands you can drive to
Islands are surrounded by water, which you’d think rules them out as a driving destination. Think again!Be it by bridge, barge or ferry the many small islands just off our vast coastline are perfect for your next family road trip adventure. Here’s our list of Australian islands accessible by car and SUV which are perfect for your next weekend getaway.
Phillip Island, Victoria
You’ve seen it on TV (hosting the Supercars and MotoGP) and probably heard about the penguins, but really, no excuse is needed to visit Phillip Island. About a two hour drive from Melbourne and accessible via the bridge at San Remo, the island has fabulous beaches (Cape Woolamai for the surfers, Cowes for the kids), family attractions including the Koala Conservation Centre and nightly penguin parade, or you could just kick back at a pub, cafe or restaurant. And yes, the Grand Prix circuit really is one of the world’s best.
Bruny Island, Tasmania
If some benevolent deity decided to create an oasis of blissful scenery with fertile soil for an abundance of food and surround it all by water, that place would be Bruny Island. Drive 30 minutes south from Hobart, stick the car on the ferry and you’re ready for a 100km tip-to-tail drive including The Neck that separates North Bruny. Sample cheeses and wine, seafood including oysters, crayfish and abalone, maybe a dram of local whisky, then overnight in a cosy B&B. It’s not tropical, but it is paradise.
Moreton Island, Queensland
Moreton Island is one for the off-road brigade or, at least those four wheelers who love sand but can’t make it as far north as Fraser Island. The barge or ferry leaves from the Brisbane River, then there are heaps of sandy trails and beaches to explore. Go fishing, snorkelling or swimming, check out the WWII bunkers, the Tangalooma wrecks offshore or climb the 285 metre Mount Tempest sand dune. Then camp the night or stay at the more civilized Tangalooma Resort where you can also feed the dolphins.
Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Take the car on the ferry to Kangaroo Island and you can load it with snorkeling and fishing gear and an esky to bring home farm-fresh products and seafood. The island is 155km long with 509km of coastline, so you’ll want to drive anyway. Check out the sights such as Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch, slurp some seafood at the Oyster Farm Shop, see the seals at Seal Bay plus there are koalas, echidnas and, of course, kangaroos. Dudley Wines, Kangaroo Island Brewery and a distillery with island-brewed gins and vodkas might require a designated driver though.
Hindmarsh Island, South Australia
Hindmarsh is an island not surrounded by sea, but by the waters of Lake Alexandrina where the Murray River meets the Great Australian Bight about 100km from Adelaide. Accessible from Goolwa via a bridge built in 2001, Hindmarsh is about 15km long, covers 45 square kilometres and being the entry to the Coorong National Park is particularly attractive to nature lovers. Boating is big here, but so are the beaches for swimming and snorkelling and you’ll want to check out Narnu Farm or Karinga Park Homestead for an excellent farm-stay experience.
Related: Australia’s five best coastal drives
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Related: Five reasons to take the back way instead of the highway on your next road trip
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