How to plan a family road trip in Australia

Get the kids involved with planning your trip and let them pick a couple of things they’d like to see and do along the way; Explore Australia: the Kids Edition has lots of good ideas. Younger kids can follow a map during the journey and decorate it with drawings or stickers of what they see as they go: Journeyjottings.com has some great pictorial maps of Australia that are perfect for this. Create a treasure list of things to see or find during the day. Older children might prefer to find inspiration from our epic holiday quiz.

When it comes to road tripping with kids, your best bet is to plan ahead and avoid travelling too far in one day; try to stop at least every two hours in towns or cities along the way. You’ll find pleasant parks and playgrounds in many regional towns where younger kids can burn off some energy (and take a toilet break). If you’re driving along the coast, cool off at a local swimming or ocean pool, or if you’ve got older kids in tow, swing by the beach to hit the surf.

Road terrain, space and sleeping arrangements are things to consider before selecting your road trip vehicle. First, you’ll need to check whether a 4WD is necessary for your trip. If you’re looking to rent a family campervan, there are plenty of vehicle options to choose from that accommodate families of all sizes.

To make the most out of your driving time, we recommend setting off on your long drives outside of peak times to avoid traffic and prevent fatigue. If you’re travelling with young kids or toddlers, try to coordinate longer stretches of driving with nap times.

There are a few safety requirements to be aware of during your family trip. Firstly, all children under the age of seven must be in an approved car seat or restraint – although this is determined by size, not age; adult seat belts are designed for a minimum height of 145 centimetres (57 inches). Most car hire companies will have baby seats/boosters/capsules for hire, but make sure you ask for one when you book, rather than when you pick up your vehicle. Children under the age of four must travel in the back seat. 

Keep in mind that the driving age for teenagers varies from state to state. In Victoria the minimum unsupervised driving age is 18, it’s 16 years and six months in the Northern Territory, and 17 years in all other states. All drivers will need an International Driving Permit (IDP) unless your driver’s license is in English – check the fine print of your car hire agreement as many insist that all drivers be over 21.