Sun-soaked beaches, ancient rainforests, and the world’s largest coral reef system await on this legendary coastal journey. Collect your 2WD campervan from the Apollo Brisbane branch, then make the short hop to the Gold Coast to begin. The tropical dry season typically runs May to September in the far north, with many tourism operators considering May to October a dry window. Expect cooler, sunny days and excellent underwater visibility for Great Barrier Reef snorkeling. Humpback whales visit Hervey Bay from mid July to October, creating one of Australia’s most memorable wildlife shows. Most driving days sit around two to three hours, with a couple that are a little longer, leaving plenty of time for picnic stops, waterfall wanders, forest walks, and long sandy beaches all the way to Cairns. 

Carved by rivers, cloaked in temperate rainforest and ringed by mountains, Tasmania’s Western Wilds is a region built for slow travel. This relaxed 7 day round trip from Hobart keeps daily driving to 3 hours or less and focuses on time in nature. Walk to famous waterfalls under giant eucalypts, picnic beside deep glacial lakes, cruise through World Heritage wilderness, and watch for platypus at dusk. For weather, the west is wild year round. Summer and early autumn bring the mildest, driest conditions. Winter is beautiful but often cold and rainy, with brisk winds and frequent showers on the coast, so pack warm layers and waterproofs. This itinerary sticks to sealed roads suitable for an Apollo 2WD campervan and avoids long unsealed detours, keeping the pace easy and the scenery front and centre. 

Wild beaches, ancient rainforests, pink-granite peaks and glacial lakes await on this slower-paced Circle Tasmania itinerary. Designed for an Apollo 2WD camper van and beginning and ending in Hobart, this 10 day loop keeps most driving days under 3 hours so you can linger longer in national parks, stroll white-sand bays, watch for wombats at dusk and picnic beside mirror-still tarns. You will tick off icons like Freycinet, the Bay of Fires, Launceston’s Cataract Gorge, Stanley’s The Nut, Cradle Mountain and Strahan, with time to explore, breathe and truly soak up the scenery. 

Best time to go is late spring to early autumn when days are longer and generally drier, with average summer highs around the low to mid 20s Celsius. Autumn is crisp and clear, a favourite for hikers and photographers. Winter can be cold and rainy, especially on the wild West Coast, with mountain areas sometimes experiencing snow and icy conditions. Pack layers year round, plus a waterproof jacket and warm base layers for highland walks. A valid Tasmanian national parks pass is required to enter all national parks. At Cradle Mountain, private vehicles cannot access Dove Lake Road during shuttle operating hours, so most visitors use the shuttle bus. A separate shuttle ticket may be required unless it is included with certain passes. Always keep to sealed roads, with only short, well maintained access tracks into recognised campgrounds.