The common road trip mistake millions of Australians are making this spring

If it looks as if there are more roof racks, campervans and four-wheel-drives on the highways than ever before, your eyes are not deceiving you.

Driven by expensive inner-city hotel prices and a growing itch to unplug, Australians are embracing camping and caravanning like never before, logging a record 17.3 million trips in the past year.

But as more holiday-makers hit the road in spring, travel expert and TV host Simon Christie said too many people treat the drive as the transport stage rather than the main event.

"Australia has an extraordinary coastline," Mr Christie said.

"Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop racing towards the famous destinations and start exploring what is in between."

While most travellers head straight for the major coastal resorts, Mr Christie believes Australia's best spots for a holiday are a little more out-of-the-way.

The drive between Sydney and Brisbane is an iconic Australian road trip but most people drive straight past the best overnight spots, he said.

"Port Stephens, the Mid North Coast, Coffs Harbour, Yamba and the Northern Rivers are obvious highlights," the Your 4x4 host said.

"But the little roads, headlands, national parks, beach access points and towns in between are often the hidden gems.

"When I talk about the hidden gems between the major destinations, I'm thinking of destinations where you can venture off the Pacific Highway and within a relatively short distance find yourself on a quiet beach, scenic lookout, estuary or wild bushland.

"They aren't necessarily secret locations, but they're places that people travelling directly from one major destination to another can easily drive straight past."

Reaching Mungo Brush is straightforward, requiring a drive 20 kilometres north of Hawks Nest along Mungo Brush Road.

Otherwise, those coming from the Pacific Highway near Bulahdelah can enter via Bombah Point Road and take the Bombah Point ferry.

Standard two-wheel-drive vehicles, camper trailers, and caravans can all access the campground, though entry and camping fees apply via NSW National Parks.

"What makes the area special is the combination of enormous coastal lakes, forest and ocean beaches," Mr Christie said.

"You can camp among the trees and have access to swimming, kayaking, fishing, walking and the coast without feeling as though you've simply arrived at another developed seaside town."

Drivers equipped with an off-road vehicle can experience a different side of Port Stephens that many visitors miss.

Access requires turning off Nelson Bay Road onto Frost Road and Gan Gan Road, with the final leg across the sand requiring a four-wheel-drive and basic off-road driving skills.

Camping is restricted to the designated campground behind the dunes, not directly on the beach itself.

While NSW National Parks does not charge a nightly camping fee, bookings and a small booking fee are required, and visitors should note that both the beach and campground are clothing optional.

"It feels surprisingly removed from the busy parts of Port Stephens, with dunes, ocean and headlands rather than shops and the normal tourist attractions," Mr Christie said.

Between the busier tourist hubs of Forster and Port Macquarie, this pristine coastline is easy to pass without noticing.

Diamond Head is accessible from the Laurieton and Dunbogan side via unsealed roads that are suitable for conventional two-wheel-drive vehicles.

Visitors wanting to drive directly onto the sand will need a beach-driving permit from the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, and camping must be booked in advance through NSW National Parks with entry fees applying.

"Diamond Head combines a long undeveloped coastline with forest, wildlife, headlands and excellent bush walking opportunities," Mr Christie said.

"The Diamond Head loop takes you via Indian Head and affords some beautiful scenic views along the coast's pristine vantage points."

Point Plomer sits inside Limeburners Creek National Park and can be reached from Crescent Head along Point Plomer Road.

"It's the combination that makes this stretch memorable: beaches, rocky headlands, bush camping and coastal forest, all relatively close to major towns but feeling much further removed from them," Mr Christie said.

The northern approach is accessible by two-wheel-drive despite the final section being gravel.

Drivers approaching from the south should take note that the southern route is strictly four-wheel-drive only and not suitable for caravans.

Rather than driving straight past Grafton on the highway, turning off 47 kilometres north of Coffs Harbour onto McPhillips Road you'll find one of the region's hidden gems.

Station Creek is an estuary campground suitable for high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles, just 600 metres from the beach.

"Station Creek is a beautiful estuary campground with swimming, fishing and canoeing, with the ocean beach only about a 600m walk away," Mr Christie said.

"It's remote enough to feel like you've really left the highway behind."

For a more adventurous drive, Pebbly Beach requires navigating unsealed roads, dune tracks and a tidal crossing at Saltwater Creek.

NSW National Parks mandates a high-clearance four-wheel-drive at low tide only for this route, and camping bookings are essential for both locations.

While Yamba attracts the bulk of holidaymakers, crossing over the Clarence River leads to a more relaxed getaway in Bundjalung National Park.

Drivers can take the Iluka Road turnoff near Woombah, with the sealed road leading to the campground around 13 kilometres past the Esk River Bridge.

Two-wheel-drive vehicles can make the trip without any issues, making it an accessible spot with facilities that require advance booking through NSW National Parks.

"Woody Head has a protected beach, rocky shoreline, rainforest, fishing and a great coastal atmosphere," Mr Christie said.

"Nearby Iluka Bluff is also a particularly good spring stop because of the coastal views and the chance of seeing migrating whales."

"[Mibanbah-Black Rocks] is a good example of why I encourage people to look beyond the obvious coastal towns," Mr Christie said.

"You're not travelling a huge distance from the main highway, but the environment changes completely once you're among the coastal forest, heathland, waterways and raw beaches of Bundjalung National Park."

Between Yamba and the Northern Rivers, the turnoff is near Woodburn at the Tuckombil Road exit, leading to The Gap Road and a 20-kilometre unsealed drive to the campground.

The site is accessible by two-wheel-drive, though drivers in low-clearance vehicles should exercise care along the dirt track, and bookings must be made through NSW National Parks.

For travellers willing to travel a little further, Mr Christie said that Western Australia offers its own rewards for getting off the beaten track.

"Dingo Beach in West Cape Howe National Park, near Bornholm on WA's south coast, is one of the prettiest beaches I have seen anywhere in Australia," Mr Christie said.

"It is the sort of place that reminds you why getting away from the famous highway routes and major tourist centres is worth the effort."

As cost-of-living pressures loom over the school holidays, families are seeking budget-friendly options for their getaways.

At an average cost of $230 a night, regional trips are far gentler on the hip pocket when compared with the average price of $353 to stay overnight in a major city.

While travellers were willing to rough it to save money, Tourism Research Australia data found that two-thirds of campers still preferred the convenience of a commercial caravan park to unpowered bush camps, national park grounds or free off-grid sites.

But Mr Christie said his favourite trips blended off-grid wilderness with a touch of comfort.

"Some of Australia's best coastal experiences are not beside a resort or a powered caravan site," he said.

"They are at the end of a track, on an isolated beach or in a remote campground where you need to arrive prepared.

"Spend several nights camping somewhere remote, then use a caravan park, motel or boutique stay when you want a shower, laundry, supplies or simply a change of pace."