Australia is a vast country that offers a multitude of breathtaking panoramas, terrain and landscapes from coast to coast, top to bottom and all points in between. Riding a motorcycle over this breathtaking nation’s landscape is one of the best ways to experience it all.
However there are so many amazing rides and activities to explore that it might almost feel overwhelming. Fortunately, we’ve prepared this list of Australia’s top 10 motorcycle rides to assist you in organizing your upcoming exciting trip.
Adelaide Hills, Australia
Golden Grove, which lives up to its name by making you feel as wonderful as gold, is the starting point of our 159 km round. The ride takes you on quite the adventure before ending at the neighboring Tea Tree Gully. This divine ride through the Adelaide Hills has it all, from gorgeous straight rural stretches to some amazing bends.
You might lose focus on the ride itself due to indulging in so much delectable food and drink, since there are several amazing cafés, restaurants, and vineyards to discover throughout the route!
Victoria’s Great Ocean Road
One of the most popular and well known journeys in Australia is the 120-kilometer journey from Torquay to Glenaire which passes right in front of the Twelve Apostles one of the world’s seven natural wonders. Obviously, this might make the journey a little challenging at times, as bikers may encounter challenges from visitors and traffic.
If you are lucky enough to ride this spectacular route at a slower period of traffic, there aren’t many more breathtaking or satisfying views. If you enjoy taking detours, be sure to take some of the side roads you come across as they lead to some truly amazing hidden gem seaside communities. It isn’t called the “Great” Ocean Road for nothing, after all!
New South Wales’s Kangaroo Valley Ride
A national park? Verify. Picturesque waterfalls? Verify. Roads along the coast? Verify. Gorgeous suburban landscape? Verify. Indeed, this trip offers about everything one might desire. Riding this king-sized trip, which starts on the Princess Highway in Kirrawee and winds through the Royal National Park, is sure to make you feel a little like royalty.
You’ll pass the Macquarie Pass, which provides a gorgeous view of an 822-meter waterfall, while riding along the route. This route showcases some of the best that Australian nature has to offer over 116 km of pure bike enjoyment.
South Australia’s Oxley Highway
Without including the Oxley Highway, no list of the greatest motorbike rides in Australia could be considered complete. This is one of Australia’s most well known and well liked motorcycle routes and for good reason.
Motorcycle enthusiasts would especially like the 165 km stretch between Wauchope and Walcha. If the numerous bends and twists of the Oxley send your mind spinning, you can always bring back this amazing experience with the ‘300 Bends’ t-shirts you can buy along the road.
But this ride’s greatness isn’t limited to its many corners—the view is equally amazing. There are many attractions to behold in the Oxley, including the lush jungle and breathtaking vistas of the mountains.
Tasmania: Strahan to Derwent Bridge
Although Tasmania offers many fantastic riding spots we believe this little gem is up there with the finest. Starting in the charming west coast community of Strahan you will travel the A10 to Queenstown and then over the Derwent Bridge.
You’ll come upon the notorious “99 Bend Road” along the way, and you’ll learn how it gained its moniker. You’ll discover for yourself over the approximately 130 kilometer trek why this ride is on par with any in Australia.
The Lions Road, Queensland
A few things are likely to stick out as you roar your way up The Lions Road (pun absolutely intended). You will first understand why this area is known as the Scenic Rim.
Second, you may find yourself wanting to pinch yourself to see if you’re dreaming as you make your way along this breathtaking 96-kilometer route that crosses the borders of both Queensland and New South Wales. You may be confident that the breathtaking beauty of the hinterland, the ride, and the route are all genuine eye candy.
New South Wales / The Putty Road
You’ve definitely heard about The Putty Road if you’re an Australian who grew up with a passion for motorbikes. Let us establish the situation for the uninformed. There’s nothing better than riding a motorcycle for 177 kilometers along Sydney’s western suburbs.
Don’t trust what we say? The Putty is encircled by the amazing national parks of Yengo and Wollemi on all sides. Both the beauty and the fun are doubled! If you have an inclination for speed, you may choose the 16 km run around Singleton at the northern end of the Putty. Known as “the 10 mile,” this short but sweet motorcycle adventure must be experienced to be truly understood.
Queensland’s Mount Glorious
Just a short ride from Brisbane’s core business area Mount Glorious is a welcome discovery for motorcyclists seeking a change of scenery. The route goes through agricultural areas in the Samford Valley before climbing into the mountain range’s open eucalyptus woodland and the dense rainforest at the summit.
Riders are encouraged to slow down, relax, and take in the scenery by the winding, narrow route and its uneven terrain. Returning up the mountain from the D’Aguilar National Park side is, in the opinion of many riders, the most thrilling portion of the ride.
Southern New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains Highway
The Snowy Mountains Highway, which runs north of Mount Kosciusko, Australia’s highest mountain, is the complete antithesis of Mac Pass (pun intended). It is a wet dream of a road, so smooth, fast, and predictable you’d think it came straight out of a motorcycle computer game.
This road is a breathtaking sequence of lengthy, exquisitely cambered sweepers with top-notch surfaces; it’s best driven in the summer, for obvious reasons. However, this is by no means a bad thing; without snowfall, there would be fewer skiers and visitors, which would reduce traffic and tour buses on the road.
Remember that you are in the actual Australian outback, so before you go, make sure you have water with you and are aware of where the gas stations are. This route is so fantastic that if you get too caught up in the excitement for too long, you can end up stranded in the middle of nowhere with empty gas.
South Central Victoria’s Black Spur
Let’s cap off this list with a little taste of lovely sweetness, akin to a delicious dessert: the 22-kilometer (14-mile) Black Spur road in southern Australia. Despite the road’s rather sinister reputation, it’s a leisurely excursion that takes you just one hour outside of Melbourne’s central business district and offers some of the nicest roads and stunning forest scenery in Australia.
Glide past old Mountain Ash tree groves when heading north from Healesville to Narbethong. The sight of these trees will make you feel either incredibly little or as though giants may live there. This entire region, which is a part of Australia’s well-known Great Dividing Range, is brimming with fantastic, bite-sized rides, with portions located near King Lake, Lilydale, and Warburton. You can put everything together for a thrilling experience by doing some Googling.
Because of its closeness to Melbourne, you will encounter a good number of other motorcycle riders, including those who aspire to be like Rossi. Simply schedule your trip for a weekday to avoid the most knee-deep foolishness; this time of week also tends to attract fewer tourists and dawdlers. Not to mention the constant dampness seen in temperate Australian rainforests such as these, you’ll want to keep an eye out for leaves, bark, and sticks on the road, as mother nature still has a strong hold on this area of the planet. The same is true for big farming equipment and mossy roadways.
The villages around provide quick stops for gasoline, along with the standard fine dining and coffee establishments that the region is famed for. There are also a number of antique stores that will make you angry that your bike can’t move stylish old tables and chairs in under a minute.
