7 Summer Drives from Melbourne Worth Hiring a Supercar For

Melbourne is surrounded by some of the best driving roads in the country, and summer is when they are at their best — long evenings, dry surfaces and somewhere worth stopping at the end. These are the seven we recommend most, with honest notes on each.

1. The Black Spur

About an hour out. Healesville to Marysville through towering mountain ash forest. Consistent, rhythmic corners and the best road in the state for a mid-engined car. Go early, before the weekend traffic and motorcyclists arrive. Our Black Spur guide covers it in detail.

Best car: Huracán or 488 GTB.

2. The Yarra Valley

About an hour out. Open, fast, well-surfaced roads with vineyards at the end. The easiest day to plan and the most popular single choice for a 24-hour hire.

Best car: anything — including the Urus if friends are coming.

3. Arthurs Seat and the Mornington Peninsula

About an hour and a bit. An easy run down with the bay alongside you, then the climb up Arthurs Seat for one of the best views around Melbourne. Finish in Sorrento or Portsea for lunch.

Best car: the 488 or the Ghost — this is a drive about the destination.

4. The Great Ocean Road

About 1.5 hours to Torquay. The famous one. Lorne to Apollo Bay is the stretch worth the trip. Realistically a long day on a 24-hour hire, and superb as a two-day booking.

Best car: the Urus for a long day with luggage; a two-seater for the purist.

5. The Dandenong Ranges

About an hour out. Tight, winding roads through tall forest and small villages. Beautiful, but narrow and busy with tourists on weekends — a weekday morning drive rather than a Saturday afternoon one.

Best car: the Huracán, driven gently.

6. Phillip Island

About two hours. A coastal run ending at the island, with the option of staying for the penguin parade at dusk. A longer day, but a genuinely different one.

Best car: the Urus or G63 — comfortable over the distance.

7. The Macedon Ranges and Daylesford

About an hour to Mount Macedon, 1.5 to Daylesford. Winding hill roads, Hanging Rock, and the spa country at the end. Cooler than the city on a hot day.

Best car: the 488 GTB.

Summer driving — the practical bits

• Start early. Cooler, quieter, better light.
• Check fire conditions. On total fire ban days, check VicEmergency and road closures before heading into forested areas like the Black Spur or the Dandenongs.
• Carry water. Supercar air conditioning works well; you still want water on a 40-degree day.
• Book lunch. Summer weekends at the good venues fill fast.

New to all this? Read what it's like to drive a supercar for the first time, then see the self-drive range.