Short drives for a long weekend

They might steal the limelight - or moonlight in this case - but there's much more to Phillip Island than just the penguin parade - or the MotoGP. Take a drive around the island and you'll discover wild coastlines with spectacular clifftop walking trails and a wealth of wildlife beyond the waddling penguins.

Connected to the mainland by bridge at San Remo, Phillip Island - called Millowl by the Bunurong People - is about a 90-minute drive south-east of Melbourne.

Cowes is where you'll find most of the island's shops, cafes and restaurants but stop at the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory on the way to check out the chocolate waterfall, and stroll the elevated boardwalks at the Koala Conservation Reserve.

The famous penguins - and Australia's largest fur seal colony - are on the island's western tip at Summerlands. The south coast is wilder and emptier than the north, and the beaches are great for beachcombing.

Don't miss the lookout at Pyramid Rock. Finish off Cape Woolamai, where watching around a million short-tailed shearwaters arrive en masse at sunset (between September and May) is quite the spectacle. visitphillipisland.com.au

There aren't many places in Australia where you can see the sea from the middle of the desert, but in the Pinnacles Desert near Cervantes you can.

Thousands of limestone pillars rise out of a stark landscape of yellow sand in Nambung National Park, about 200km north of Perth. What's more, you don't need a 4WD to see them - the 4km Pinnacles Loop Drive through the park is fine for conventional cars (but too narrow for caravans).

Getting there is half the fun as the road passes by one stunning white-sand beach flanked by turquoise water after another - if it's your first time road tripping the Indian Coast, prepare to be blown away by the colours.

Other reasons to go, if you still need some, include the thrombolites (living fossils) at Lake Thetis, amazing wildflowers in spring, and feasting on just-caught and freshly cooked crayfish at bargain prices from local fish and chip shops. australiascoralcoast.com

The Bloomfield Track - the controversial road that was blazed through the Daintree Rainforest back in the 1980s - is a an exciting one-day trip from Cairns with lots of creek crossings, steep climbs and fabulous scenery.

From Cairns head north along the Captain Cook Highway to Cape Tribulation, stopping along the way to admire the views from Rex Lookout, take a guided Ngadiku Dreamtime tour of Mossman Gorge, do some croc-spotting on the Daintree River, and walk one of the rainforest or mangrove boardwalks in Daintree National Park. The road to Cape Tribulation is fine for normal cars, but the next 30km are definitely 4WD, and will take a couple of hours. It's just about the best fun you can have on four wheels. tropicalnorthqueensland.org.au

Who can resist the lure of driving to the end of the road? Cockle Creek is as far south as you can drive in Australia and it's an easy day trip from Hobart.

Get there via the Channel Highway and take your time meandering around the backroads of the Huon Valley in and around Huonville along the way. Tassie's fruit bowl, there are dozens of wineries, cideries, distilleries, orchards, cheesemakers and other artisan food producers you can visit.

There's also magnificent coastal scenery along the edge of the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, great views above the treetops at Tahune AirWalk and an underground wonderland at Hastings Caves and Thermal Springs.

Once you get to Cockle Creek there's a two-hour walk to a cliff-top lookout at South Cape Bay overlooking the southern-most point on mainland Tasmania. It may not be the end of the world, but it feels like you can see it from here. discovertasmania.com.au

You're never very far away from fine food and wine in South Australia: the wine regions of the Fleurieu Peninsula, the Barossa Valley and the Clare Valley are all less than a half-day drive from the city.

But if you only have time for one make it the Adelaide Hills, which has the added attractions of some fantastic art, beautiful gardens and fascinating historic towns.

Most road-trippers head west from Alice Springs, winding through the West MacDonnell Ranges on their way to Uluru or Kings Canyon. But the ranges east of Alice Springs, known as the East MacDonnell Ranges, are just as impressive and the road is sealed almost the entire way.

Unpack a picnic at either Emily or Jessie gap. Take a walk around the rim of Trephina Gorge. Nearby N'Dhala Gorge has more than 5900 Aboriginal petroglyphs (rock engravings). And spend some time exploring the gold-rush ghost town of Arltunga, the first official town in central Australia, and just about 100km from Alice Springs. discovercentralaustralia.com

NSW's version of the Great Ocean Road, this iconic coastal drive on Sydney's doorstop is never dull, even if you've driven it many times before.

It begins in the ferny glades of Royal National Park, and snakes along the coast through Wollongong, Shellharbour and Kiama.

Short enough to do in a day, there's more than enough to keep you occupied for three. Combining sweeping coastal views, a cantilevered bridge that curves around a cliff face 50 metres out to sea, lush rainforest and brilliant beaches, it has all the essential ingredients for the ultimate seaside drive. grandpacificdrive.com.au