Explorers Way road trip from Adelaide to Darwin
Discover 34 incredible road trips across Australia with As We Wander: Road Trip Australia — a stunning, practical guide for caravanners and adventurers alike.
If you love exploring Australia’s vast landscapes, this new release from Jess and Luke Riddle (the creators behind @_aswewander) will have you dreaming up your next adventure in no time.
Filled with breathtaking photography, mapped itineraries and useful on-the-road tips honed after years of travel, this 360-page flexibound guide is equal parts inspiration and practical handbook for travellers of all kinds.
Images and text from As We Wander: Road Trip Australia by Jess and Luke Riddle, photography by Jess and Luke Riddle. Murdoch Books RRP $49.99.
Meet the authors
Jess and Luke Riddle of @_aswewander have spent years roaming Australia with camera in hand and a healthy sense of adventure. Their journey began back in 2017 with an 18-month Big Lap that sparked a lifelong love of travel and photography. And now with their daughters Ocie and Rumi and dog Ghost in tow, they continue to share stories, itineraries and tips with their online community.
As the couple recalls in the opening pages of this book:
“A conversation while on holiday in Queensland went from ‘What if we just buy a caravan and travel Australia?’ to heading to the caravan show just months later and putting a deposit on an offroad caravan. We gave ourselves a year to save up to fund our 18-month road trip of a lifetime, but little did we know our lap of the country was the beginning of something that would change our lives forever.”
Their passion for hunting out iconic destinations, hidden gems, good coffee and spectacular landscapes shines through every page.
Nawurlandja Lookout in Kakadu National Park, NT
What’s in the book
As We Wander: Road Trip Australia features 34 road trips across all states and territories, ranging from short weekend escapes to month-long adventures. Classic drives like Victoria’s Great Ocean Road and the Northern Territory’s Red Centre Way sit alongside more remote journeys through the Kimberley, Kangaroo Island, East Arnhem Land and Bruny Island.
The chapters are organised by state and territory, then by road trip, complete with overview maps, region descriptions, then by road trip section complete with detailed itineraries outlining route lengths, suggested stops, campsites, standout destinations, food and coffee recommendations, photo opportunities, family-friendly attractions and more.
For instance, the chapter on South Australia includes four road trip regions: the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, Yorke Peninsula and Eyre Peninsula, capped off by the Flinders Ranges as its ‘Feeling Adventurous?’ road trip highlight. Within each listing, trips are broken down into manageable sections such as:
- Fleurieu Coast: Adelaide to Fleurieu Coast (Port Noarlunga) — 32km
- McLaren Vale: Fleurieu Coast (Port Noarlunga) to McLaren Vale — 14km
- Victor Harbor: McLaren Vale to Victor Harbor — 46km
Eyre Peninsula, SA
As the authors explain:
“In this book, you’ll find some of our favourite photographs from our years travelling around Australia, and detail about our favourite road trips in each state and territory, with all the best things to do while exploring. We’ve included the best campsites and standout stays, where to find the most delicious coffee or a good meal if you don’t want to cook after a long day of driving, and many of the hidden gems we have found along the way,” the authors explain.
Each chapter closes with a ‘Feeling Adventurous?’ section guiding travellers to ‘wilder’ destinations like Karijini National Park, K’gari (Fraser Island) and Tasmania’s Bruny Island, including tips on hikes, bucket-list experiences and off-the-beaten-track campsites.
How to use it
The book is designed for both browsing and planning, making it equally at home on the coffee table or in the caravan. The opening pages provide easy-to-read advice on trip preparation, safety, travelling with kids and pets and Jess and Luke’s favourite travel apps for camping, mapping, fuel and more.
There’s also a practical comparison of travel styles — from 4WD and camper trailers to caravans and tents/swags — outlining the pros and cons of each. For example, 4WDs are ideal for heading off-track but limit packing space and tend to leave you more exposed to the elements, while caravans offer comfort and family-friendly flexibility at the cost of fuel and places to camp.
Jess and Luke have also included packing tips, including their top 12 must-have items, such as quality camp chairs, a portable cooker or barbecue, and essential recovery gear.
Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu
Photography enthusiasts will appreciate the short section dedicated to photography on the road, with a breakdown on the gear the Riddles’ use or have tried and the pros and cons of certain camera setups.
Each itinerary also includes a ‘When to Wander’ section offering seasonal travel advice — from chasing WA’s wildflower season to timing coastal trips with whale migrations.
“We have also included tips and tricks from our years of knowledge to get the most out of road tripping Australia, such as getting prepared to hit the road, what it’s like to travel with kids and a dog, safety on the road, and the apps that make life easier on the road,” the couple writes.
Visually, it’s a lovely book and very easy to navigate — colourful without clutter, detailed without being dense. The index at the back is a nice touch for quickly locating mentioned destinations within the book.
The road into Wilsons Prom, Vic
Final thoughts
Beautifully presented and genuinely useful, As We Wander: Road Trip Australia captures the joy of discovery that makes travelling Australia so addictive. While naturally skewed toward caravanners and families due to Jess and Luke’s current travel style, the advice and itineraries work for anyone chasing their next adventure.
The photography alone will spark wanderlust, but the thoughtful planning tools ensure it remains a practical companion long after the daydreaming stage. Whether you keep it on the coffee table for inspiration or stash it in your caravan for the next big trip, this book won’t look out of place in any traveller’s kit.
Available online and at most good bookstores, the flexibound format offers the sleek look of a hardback without the weight — perfect for life on the road
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Hit the road with As We Wander: Road Trip Australia