DUCATI EXPANDS PRE-PLANNED ADVENTURES

Forget emptying your bags and pockets for security guards, endless delayed flights and realising your baggage is en route to Kathmandu. Travelling in our own backyard on two wheels is becoming more and more de rigueur. To make it even more accessible, the good folks at Ducati have pulled together a whole continent worth of pre-planned routes to inspire you to explore Australia, both on-road and off-road.

With trips spanning all states, there’s something on which to base a day trip, overnighter or even longer ride. Broken down into bite-size chunks of riding, routes take in combinations of on- and off-road elements through some of Australia’s most pristine countryside and of course, suitably epic roads. Add to the mix accommodation and eating options that range from basic to regal luxury (accompanied by budget all the way through to AGFG-hatted eating), and you’ve got yourself a great starting point for an escape from the daily grind for you or your crew.

NEW SOUTH WALES

In NSW, routes take in stunning national parks including the Blue Mountains and through a variety of quintessentially Australian landscapes. Traverse the Southern Highlands, Snowy Mountains, Kangaroo Valley and the scenic South Coast, with nights in Canberra on and Kosciuszko National Park.

VICTORIA

Victoria’s High Country and famous winemaking regions are a central fixture of the southern routes. Scenic country lanes, focused corners through twisting forests, and easy gravel roads take you through the most beautiful landscapes and scenic lookouts in the Yarra Ranges and Central Victoria. Of course, bucket-list rides through iconic Victorian landmarks in the Macedon Ranges, Daylesford, and the scenic Otways along the world’s most famous coastal road, the Great Ocean Road.

TASMANIA

From Hobart, explore some of Tasmania’s most iconic spots, including the Coal River Valley, Freycinet National Park and the Central Highlands. Or go further through north-western Tasmania, to the West Coast Range’s historic gold mining valleys, Cradle Mountain, and amazing roads through the Central Plateau. Explore the best of north-eastern Tasmania through idyllic farmlands, scenic coast and alpine forest before hitting the coast at St Helens, and riding through the winding roads of Ben Lomond National Park.

NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

Pack your bike for some of the most magical spots in the Top End. Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park, and the historic outback towns and gorges of Katherine and Batchelor. Don’t sweat; there are off-road trails available in Kakadu National Park and Nitmiluk National Park for riders who are keen to go beyond the tarmac. Further south, routes head from Alice Springs into West MacDonnell National Park through the region’s parklands, red rock canyons, and peaceful waterholes.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

South Australia’s iconic wine regions of the Barossa, Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale are on the list with enchanting towns and famous wineries at every turn. Or head south to Kangaroo Island, taking in the very best of the Fleurieu Peninsula and the southwest hinterlands along the way, along with the best of the Limestone Coast and the southern end of the Grampians.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Vast native forests and stunning surf coastlines are the mainstay of the routes out west. The best scenic spots around Cape Naturaliste are included as you follow a carefully chosen route that carves through forested valleys, hugs the coastal highways near Busselton, and cruises back home to Perth via the tall timbers and emerald lakes of the inland regions. Margaret River, the Albany and Pemberton are on the map, with stops at the most beautiful coastal and inland spots, including the famous beaches around Denmark.

QUEENSLAND

D’Aguilar National Park and the Sunshine Coast, plus the rainforests of the Border Ranges National Park, Cabarita Beach and the awesome roads and by ways via the Currumbin Valley and Mount Tamborine are the highlights of SE Queensland’s routes. Further north, far North Queensland’s most beautiful national parks and stunning coastlines make for some amazing days on the bike.

Click here for the complete list of routes in your state (or elsewhere!) with brilliant hour-by-hour and day-by-day breakdowns to take all the guesswork out of your trip. Get out there and explore your own backyard, grab your partner, your friends or just you and your Ducati…