There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when the car doors shut, the bags are wedged into the boot, and someone finally hits play. Australia is built for road trips. The distances are absurd, the scenery changes every few hundred kilometres, and the radio drops out right when the best song comes on. A proper playlist isn’t a nice extra; it’s an essential.
We’ve spent plenty of years chasing tours across the country, so we’ve got some strong opinions about what belongs on the stereo. Here’s a soundtrack for some of the great Australian drives, from sunny coastal cruises to the long, empty stretches where you’ll need something to carry a whole afternoon.
The Pacific Highway: Sydney to Byron Bay
Starting with the classic. Heading north means surf towns, banana stands and the odd stretch of roadworks, so you want something loose and sunny. Tame Impala’s “The Less I Know the Better” is practically compulsory, and Rüfüs Du Sol’s “Innerbloom” is a long, rolling build that suits the moment the ocean appears on your right. Add Ocean Alley for some beachy swagger and a little Hilltop Hoods for when you’re crawling through traffic and need a lift.
This is a drive for singing badly with the windows down, so don’t overthink the setlist. If it makes the car feel like summer, it’s in.
The Great Ocean Road: Torquay to Port Fairy
Winding cliffs and moody Southern Ocean light call for songs with a bit more weight. Gang of Youths’ “The Heart Is a Muscle” is made for big skies, and Courtney Barnett’s “Avant Gardener” brings the dry humour when you’ve stopped for the third lookout in an hour. Vance Joy’s “Riptide” is almost too obvious, but you can’t deny it works with the coastline rolling past.
Save a quiet moment for the Twelve Apostles. Sometimes the best soundtrack is the wind and the waves, and a good playlist knows when to quiet down.
The Eyre Highway: the Nullarbor
Now we’re into serious road trip territory. The 90 Mile Straight is one of the longest stretches of dead-straight road in the country, and once you’ve seen the same horizon for an hour, you’ll want songs that tell a story. Cold Chisel’s “Khe Sanh” is a pub-rock rite of passage, The Triffids’ “Wide Open Road” fits the landscape almost too ironically, and Paul Kelly’s “To Her Door” is ideal for those long, reflective afternoons when the fuel gauge becomes the main event.
Go long on albums out here. You’ve got hours, so hit play on something you’d normally only half listen to and let it unfold properly.
The Stuart Highway: Adelaide to Darwin
The Red Centre deserves music that’s as big and honest as the country itself. Midnight Oil’s “Beds Are Burning” hits differently when you’re actually driving through the outback, and Yothu Yindi’s “Treaty” is a reminder of whose land you’re crossing. Gurrumul’s extraordinary voice suits the stillness of dusk, while Baker Boy’s “Cool as Hell” is the perfect shot of energy when the afternoon slump kicks in.
Take your time on this one. The sunsets alone are worth building the trip around, and a good soundtrack makes them linger.
Before you pack the sky
Of course, not every great road trip starts in a car you already own. Maybe the old hatchback has seen better days, or you’ve been eyeing something with a bit more room for the drum kit, the camping gear and your mate who always brings too much. If an upgrade is on the cards before you hit the highway, sort out your finances early. Looking into reliable car finance in Australia is a sensible first step, because the last thing you want to be stressing about is paperwork, when you should be planning the route.
Once the wheels are sorted, work backwards from the gigs. Plenty of the best road trips are built around a festival or a headline show in a regional town, and our gig guides are a handy place to find a reason to drive somewhere new. Few things beat rolling into a country pub with a few hundred kilometres of good music still ringing in your ears.
Build the playlist properly
You could just hit shuffle, or you could plan the perfect travel playlist with your crew. A few rules we swear by:
- Plan for dead zones. Download everything. Regional Australia has a funny way of ending your streaming right when the chorus hits.
- Share the aux. Everyone in the car gets a turn, and nobody gets to complain about someone else’s pick.
- Mix old and new. Pair the classics with a few fresh finds so the trip feels like both a nostalgia run and a discovery mission.
If you need a head start, our playlist archives are full of ideas for every mood, from dusty pub rock to dreamy electronica.
Pack the practical stuff too
While we agree that the soundtrack is important, don’t forget everything else. A bit of planning goes a long way on a road trip, so check out our travel tips for ideas on where to stop, what to pack and how to make the most of your time away. Book accommodation ahead, carry more water than you think you’ll need, and don’t expect reception outside major towns.
The long way round
The best road trips aren’t really about the destination. All the in-between moments, the songs that suddenly make sense at 110 kilometres an hour, and the stories you’ll tell for years are the lasting memories. Australia’s roads are long, strange and beautiful, and there’s a perfect soundtrack waiting for each one.
Fill the tank, sort the playlist and take the scenic route. We’ll see you out there, somewhere between the first song and the last.
