This article is brought to you by Air New Zealand.
Ask anyone who’s seen The Castle, drunk a can – or 24 – of Reschs or ever swerved to dodge a kangaroo and they’ll tell you, without question, that Australia is home to the greatest driving roads to be found in our little corner of the globe. But pose the same question to anyone who has trouble pronouncing the vowel ‘O’, considers Peter Jackson a national treasure or who believe hobbits are real, and they’ll shout you down, Ork-style, and tell you that the Land of the Long White Cloud is home to the best squiggly bits on earth.
So to settle this matter once and for all, we’re pitching two of Australia and New Zealand’s best driving roads against each other in a battle royale to the death. Well, maybe not death – you’ll still be able to drive both of them – but we’ll have a winner either way.
After careful consideration, our combatants have been selected. Meet the famed Great Ocean Road in Victoria, which’ll be tacking on the might of the much longer, but equally impressive Auckland to Cape Reinga cruise across the ditch.
THE ROADS
GREAT OCEAN ROAD: Widely regarded as one of the world’s best, most beautiful stretches of tar, the Great Ocean Road will carry you from Torquay to Warrnambool, encapsulating breath-taking views, breath-taking corners and a breath-taking number of pootling tourists and lycra-clad cyclists. A total 263km of undulating tarmac that can be a leisurely saunter if you’d like, but forms one of the world’s most beautiful sights when the road in front is empty. Countless switchbacks, long left- and right-handers and a series of increasingly awesome hill-climbs will leave your hands sweaty, your heart beating like a marching drum and a smile on your face that will stay there for days.
AUCKLAND TO CAPE REINGA: Just 425km as the crow flies, but much, much longer when you make all the winding back-road detours and stunning photo stops along the way, the trip to NZ’s most northern – and wild – spot will leave you breathless.
The main drive route can be a little freeway-heavy and monotonous, but break free of you sat-nav’s evil hold, and you’ll uncover a fantasy world of forest runs, hill climbs and the kind of scenery that looks like it’s been ripped straight from Tolkien’s imagination. Forget picnic blankets, pack something small, light and preferably rear-wheel drive. Then prepare to be amazed.
THE WINNER? Auckland to Cape Reinga. The sheer number of seemingly endless drive routes and all-but-deserted National Park runs ensures NZ scores our first gong. Sorry, Victoria, but you’re incessant love of cycles and speed cameras cost you dearly.
THE SCENERY
GREAT OCEAN ROAD: Australia’s endless coast line stretches out from this road like an impossibly blue mirage. Climb a hill, stop, admire view, climb a hill, stop, admire view –repeat. Add to this the stunning beauty of the 12 Apostles Marine Park, and you have an experience worth savouring.
AUCKLAND TO CAPE REINGA: Your road route across NZ ticks off well-known place names like they’re falling out of a Lonely Planet. Point Wells, Bream Bay, 90-Mile Beach, Lake Omapere, Ranganu Bay, Spirits Bay – this might be the only drive program on Earth on which places of unimaginable beauty arrive and pass with the regularity of fast food outlets on an American freeway. Trust us; pack your camera, and lots of memory cards.
THE WINNER? Auckland to Cape Reinga. Sorry Aussies, but the diversity of this drive route – from the lush greenery of the National Parks to the wind-shipped savagery of the Cape, hand this deciding gong to the Kiwis.
There is simply no drive like it on Earth, and so until space travel improves and the passenger costs come down, the prize has to go to New Zealand. Congrats, Kiwis, your cross-country cruise has us beat.
Not convinced enough to cross the ditch? Check out www.kiwisceptics.com to see how we converted Martin, a true kiwi sceptic. He was convinced he wouldn’t head to New Zealand in a million years.
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Cape Ranga! I love it!
World Cup, cricket test, battle of the roads… what next?
What the hell???? Theve got bettern roads now? NO WAY!!
Australia has way better driving roads and more of them, New Zealand roads are good to drive if you like banging sheep of the road every few kilometres…much better in the dark when the sheep dont see you coming hehe
And with millions of wooly speed humps spreadout through every inch of New Zealands roads, the average driver wears velcro gloves for better grip and control whilst hitting sheep
This article was written by Air New Zealand and therefore is very biased. I’ve driven a few of the mountain roads in NSW and can tell you us Aussies have some magnificent roads.