Highway 1 is the name of Australia’s – and the world’s – longest road. It stretches 9,000 miles (14,500 km) around the entire coast of Australia. It is one of the world’s iconic roads, similar to Highway 66 in the USA. The road passes through South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. It also covers the island of Tasmania.
variety
Highway 1 varies greatly in form: near large cities it is a motorway, but long stretches through the countryside are narrow roads with just two lanes. It even becomes a dirt track through sections of the Australian Outback. Over a million people travel along Highway 1 every day.
attractions
What can travellers find along Highway 1? They find cities like Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. Then there’s the Australian Outback and famous attractions like Ayers Rock and Alice Springs. There are remote deserts like the Nullarbor Plain in Southern Australia. There are forests and tropical swamps. Travel inland a few miles and temperatures can drop below zero in some seasons. The best time to make this trip is in the summer.
preparation
What do travellers need for the trip? First of all, they need a lot of time! It takes weeks to explore the 14,500 kilometres around Australia’s coast. They will need a 4-wheel drive car or a camper van. They must remember to take plenty of provisions, camping equipment and a sleeping bag. They will need petrol cans for extra fuel. Distances here are enormous and no one wants to run out of petrol hundreds of miles from civilisation. They’ll need plenty of water as well. And, lastly, they mustn’t forget to take a hat!
natural beauty
What are Highway 1’s greatest attractions? There’s the Great Barrier Reef off the coast near Cairns. The Northern Territory and Western Australia offer many spectacular National Parks, such as Litchfield near Darwin. The Kalbarri region offers beautiful beaches and surfing. Victoria has the spectacular Ninety Mile Beach. Travellers can try their luck at gold panning at Ballarat near Melbourne, while South Australia brings a major test: the Nullarbor Plain, with the longest, straight paved road in the country: 146.6km. Don’t forget that petrol can!
back in 1955
Highway 1 was created in 1955. Australia’s Federal Government wanted to improve the country’s system of highways. Many of the roads that form Highway 1 already existed. In fact, the highway retains many of the original names for sections of its 14,500 km route. For example, there is the Stuart Highway, the Bruce Highway and the Pacific Highway.
Over time traffic on the highway has increased. The government has constructed new roads. This means that parts of the original route are forgotten. Highway 1 now bypasses many small towns. There is a danger these old communities will disappear. Discover these typically Australian places by following a guide to the old route: The Highway One Travel Companion by David Taylor.
