Continental Drifters

Depending on whom you talk to, Australia's Highway 1 is the world's longest road, its longest continuous highway, or the longest without crossing a national border. Whatever the qualification, there's no doubt it's long. Some 15,000 km of multi-lane freeway, dual carriageway, two-lane bitumen and corrugated dirt, it circles the Australian mainland, never far from the coast, and bisects Tasmania.

Its primary function is to link the nation's major cities, apart from Canberra. But it has always attracted intrepid tourists, and, in recent years, its commercial traffic has been supplemented by the four-wheel-drives of "gray nomads."...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!