I’ll be the first to admit that I was the kid who sat in the backseat reading while my parents took the fam on a big ol’ road trip, but nowadays I’m the first to lean my head out the window in a dog-like fashion to really see the sights and experience wherever I’m off to.
And although everyone I know now barely has time to go for a full on road trip, there are still ways to get out and about without taking an inconceivable amount of leave from work to do so (because frankly if your mates struggle to organise a time that everyone is free to go out to Nandos for dinner, wrangling a whole week off is a slog and a half).
If you’re based in Queensland and feel like going for a trek this weekend, here are a buncha solid drives that’ll get you outta the house and on the open road, most likely fighting over control of the music because we all know your mate Emma‘s penchant to play Broadway show tunes over and over doesn’t exactly make her ‘Popular’.
Noosa
Noosa has long been regarded as a go-to destination if you wanna go have a surf and experience a chill trip in Queensland, so it should come as little surprise that it makes it onto this list.
It’s located on the Sunshine Coast and if you use it as a base point you can quite easily take a day trip out in the car to go climb Mount Coolum or wander through Noosa National Park, so there’s really no excuse to stay cooped up in your home or hotel.
Image: Instagram / @thefriendlypirate
Old Telegraph Track
This one is for those among us with a particularly hefty vehicle – trust me, it’s not a track that you take the Golf.
Old Telegraph Track is a 4WD track in Cape York that’ll see you ploughing through creek beds and up over rocks, so you’ll wanna make sure you’re in something resilient – and maybe keep your windows up so you don’t cop a splash to the face.
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Samford
Samford is a cute lil’ town in the Moreton Bay area, with a seriously chill vibe and a bunch of old antique shops to really add to the effect that this place is the epitome of country living – plus it’s only 45 minutes drive away from Brisbane.
And then you have the chance to go check out the bloody beautiful vistas at Mount Glorious. Folks, it’s all in the name. Glorious! Glory, glory to this drive.
Image: Instagram / @salty_gypsy
Queen Mary Falls
Queen Mary Falls is probably one of the most well known waterfall spots on the eastern coast of Australia, so it would be downright criminal if we didn’t pop it on the list. Downright criminal I say! It’s just stunning.
The falls are in the Main Range National Park, which is in the Darling Downs region, so it’s roughly two hours south-west of Brisbane – making it the longest drive on the list but also one of the most scenic and rewarding destinations.
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Currumbin
Currumbin is a coastal town along the Gold Coast and is known for not only being a great place for a surf, but also if you trek back inland a tad you’ll be privy to a bunch of really cool waterfalls and rainforests – so really, you’ve got the best of both worlds around here.
Mosey on over to Springbrook, which is an hour or so inland and you’ll wind up smack dab in the Springbrook National Park Mount Cougal Section, where you can go scope out some cool cascades.
Image: Instagram / @jaxonfoale
Peregian Beach
If you’re trekking from Noosa to the Sunshine Coast, Peregian Beach is a perfect middle point for you to stop off at – and trust me when I say it’s so idyllic you’ll want to hang around for a while there too. From the beaches to Lake Weyba, everything is ‘gram-ready.
Plus if you go at the right time, you’ll be able to catch the Peregian Originals, which is a bunch of live music acts that add some tunes to the ambiance (and is one of the most well-loved live music events along the coast, so you won’t wanna miss it).
Image: Instagram / @ashelizadavis
And hey, if you’re gonna go trekking all over the state in a car with your mates, your fam, the love of your life or even your dog (dream companion tbh), why not make a thing of it and dress your plates up for the occasion? Because we’re all about personalising your trip, lean into it with custom plates from PPQ.
Plus depending on what you choose for your plates, that’s a built-in hashtag for all the inevitable Instagram snaps that you’ll be taking all over the place as you explore how ridiculously pretty QLD is (just not while you’re actually driving, obviously). Or you could just get ’em in a colour that matches your ‘gram aesthetic. You know, for consistency.
Because if you went on a road trip and don’t post about it, did you really even go?
