Off the Main Road Travel Stories and Australian Roadtrip Guides

Welcome to Off the Main Road

Hi there, glad you found us. We’re Neil, Cameron and Zoe, and we’re wandering Australia one side road (and the occasional highway) at a time. Off the Main Road is where we share our stories, photos and the odd detour along the way.

From rugged coastlines to red-dust plains, quiet country pubs to swimming holes, we’ve seen a bit of everything in the three years we’ve been travelling full-time, and we’re still looking. It’s not all sunsets and postcards; sometimes it’s flat tyres, long drives and too many flies.

Here you’ll find travel tales, photos that tell their own story, and a few handy tips picked up somewhere between the outback and the ocean. So pull up a chair, pour a cuppa, and come travelling with us off the main road, where the best stories begin.

Not sure where to start? Pick a state, choose a theme, or just follow the dust. It’s all part of the ride.

Latest Updates

Latest Updates - All
Latest Updates - South Australia
Latest Updates - Queensland
Latest Updates - New South Wales
Latest Updates - Victoria
Latest Updates - Northern Territory
Yellow diamond-shaped road sign with black text 'WA' against a clear blue sky.
Yellow diamond-shaped sign with black lettering that says "TAS" against a blue sky background.
Theme - Coastal
Theme - Hiking
Theme - Rainforest
Theme - National Parks
Theme - Small Towns
Theme - Outback
Theme - Hidden Gems
Latest
Tough Aussie Towns
Tough Aussie Towns

Everyone has a list of towns to avoid. We’ve got one too, except we went anyway. From Alice Springs to Port Augusta, these “tough” towns prove reputation isn’t always reality.

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Offbeat Australia
Offbeat Australia

From chicken races to jetty-less jetties, Australia’s full of surprises. These offbeat stops are the ones that made us laugh, pull over, and remember why we love the road.

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Detours and Side Quests
Detours and Side Quests

We’ve racked up a few extra kilometres chasing curiosity through Queensland. Side quests that started as quick detours and turned into full-blown adventures. A few wrong turns we’d happily make again.

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Our Top Five Coastal Favourites
Our Top Five Coastal Favourites

From Dundee Beach to the Sapphire Caost, these five Australian beaches made us stop for a while. Real coastal favourites that are relaxed and worth the drive every time.

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Hidden Gems of Outback Queensland
Hidden Gems of Outback Queensland

From drive-in towns to riverside camps, these are our hidden gems of Outback Queensland. Small places with big character, strung along quiet highways where the days stretch long.

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Our Top Five Northern Territory Favourites
Our Top Five Northern Territory Favourites

From red cliffs to waterfall gullies, these are our top five Northern Territory favourites! A mixed of big names and quiet corners that made us stop, stay longer, and fall a little bit in love with the NT.

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Latest
Too Close in Mullumbimby
NSW
Too Close in Mullumbimby
NSW

After braving Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Mullumbimby was an exhale. A leafy hinterland town of markets, vintage shops, and slow mornings at the showgrounds. Proof that the best stops aren’t always planned.

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NSW
Toowoomba: Big Town, Bigger Surprise
Toowoomba: Big Town, Bigger Surprise

We came to Toowoomba for two nights and stayed four. Drawn in by gardens, markets, thunderstorms, and easy charm. A big city with a small-town heart, full of stories and surprises on the range.

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Monto to Kingaroy: Cinemas and Peanuts
QLD
Monto to Kingaroy: Cinemas and Peanuts
QLD

From the old Rex Cinema in Monto to a four-kilo peanut haul in Kingaroy, this stretch of Queensland had everything—local tips, bush learning, and the stories you only find on the road.

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QLD
Staying in touch
Staying in touch

Living full-time on the road means finding balance between connection and quiet. From calls home to campfire uploads, we’re learning that staying grounded matters just as much as staying online.

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Biloela Break and Repair Days
Biloela Break and Repair Days

A weekend stop in Biloela for new windscreens turned into a laid-back escape. Between Heritage Park, Callide Dam, and country charm, this Central Queensland town proved that even repair days can feel like holidays.

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The Rough Road to Emerald
The Rough Road to Emerald

Five hours of potholes, rattles, and questionable suspension from Charters Towers to Emerald reminded us that not every road is smooth.

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Four Days in Charters Towers
QLD
Four Days in Charters Towers
QLD

Charters Towers caught us off guard — a planned two-night stop turned into four days of gold-rush history, quirky landmarks, tyre trouble and small surprises!

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QLD
Hot Days on the Overlander Way
Hot Days on the Overlander Way

Blistering heat, long roads, and a sense of humour carried us from Julia Creek to Hughenden. Between dusty stops, cool lakes, and cranky tyre alarms, we found that real travel isn’t always picture perfect.

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Cloncurry
QLD
Cloncurry
QLD

We spent three days in Cloncurry, exploring its history, murals, aviation heritage, and dam. From the first Qantas hangar to the birthplace of the RFDS, this outback town surprised us with stories and charm.

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QLD
Savannah Way to Normanton
QLD
Savannah Way to Normanton
QLD

Croydon, Normanton, and Karumba gave us history, character, and Gulf Coast charm. From welcoming the Gulflander to cold drinks at the Purple Pub and sunsets in Karumba, this stretch of the Savannah Way was unforgettable.

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QLD
Cobbold Gorge
QLD
Cobbold Gorge
QLD

We explored Cobbold Gorge after a rugged drive from Forsayth. Floating along the calm waters and hiking to the glass bridge, we were captivated by the towering cliffs, wildlife, and serene beauty of this Queensland outback gem.

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QLD
Undarra Lava Tubes
QLD, Side Quests - QLD
Undarra Lava Tubes
QLD, Side Quests - QLD

Exploring the Undara Lava Tubes was like stepping into another world…towering underground tunnels carved by ancient lava flows, part history, part geology, and all awe. A side quest well worth the detour.

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QLD, Side Quests - QLD

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A digital banner displaying three travel guide covers for Queensland, Australia, with a desert landscape background and a sign that says "Off the Main Road."

Portfolios

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Ruined shipwreck on a sandy beach with a clear blue sky and ocean waves.
Rusty, abandoned shipwreck on a sandy beach with a blue sky and ocean in the background.

Seas

A desert landscape with a tall, white-barked tree growing on rocky terrain against red-orange cliffs and a clear blue sky.
A desert landscape with a twisted tree in the foreground, red rock formations in the background, and a clear blue sky above.

Trees

Close-up of a black buffalo with large horns and dark eyes in a natural outdoor setting.
Close-up of a buffalo's face with black fur, curved horns, and a fly on its forehead, standing on dirt ground.

Wildlife

A scenic view of a rocky cliff with green trees along a river at sunset, reflecting the landscape in the calm water.
A tranquil river reflecting a rocky cliff and lush green trees, with a colorful sunset sky overhead.

Sunsets

Uluru, a large red sandstone monolith in the Australian desert with blue sky and sparse desert vegetation in foreground.
View of Uluru, a large red sandstone formation in the Australian desert, under a clear blue sky with some green vegetation in the foreground.

Icons

Old rusted tractor with a large water tank on a rural farm at sunset, greenery and trees in the background, partly cloudy sky.
Old rusty tractor with water tank on a farm during sunset, surrounded by trees and shrubs.

Industrial

Close-up of a pink flower with multiple long, thin white and yellow stamens, surrounded by green buds and blurred background of tree branches and sky.
Close-up of a pink and yellow flower blooming on a tree branch with buds around it, with blurred green and blue background.

Botanicals

An outdoor scene with a vintage yellow armchair next to a white book exchange fridge, both situated on red dirt under trees, with a cloudy sky in the background.
An old yellow armchair and a white refrigerator with black spots near trees on arid red ground in a rural landscape

Quirky