Clean toilets outrank cheap fuel as top priority for Aussie road-trippers

Smart's Roadtrip Reality Check surveyed driver behaviour around the upcoming holiday period.

It found that clean toilets outrank all other rest-stop features.

Seventy five per cent of survey respondents ranked clean toilets in their top three features compared to cheap fuel (47 per cent) and quality takeaway (40 per cent).

No detours and being open 24 hours rounded out the top five.

Smart's Laurel-Lee Blain told Explore the results "make sense".

"When you are driving for a long period of time comfort is key," she said.

"We can see that families are looking for more than just a cheap fill-up.

"They want comfort, convenience, and the confidence that their next stop will be clean, safe, and family-friendly."

But Ms Blain acknowledged they expected to see cheap fuel higher on the list given the cost of living crisis.

"It was a big gap if you look at the numbers," she said.

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The survey also revealed Australia's most-loved "big things," with Coffs Harbour's Big Banana taking the top spot.

The Big Pineapple on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and Goulburn's Big Merino tied for second place.

The Big Lobster and the Big Rocking Horse, both in South Australia, rounded out the top five.

The research also tried to identify the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on how people are planning their road trips.

"It didn't come particularly high at all," said Ms Blain.

"Internet research, recommendations from family and friends and returning to places they have been were the top three."

Queensland's Bruce Highway was named the worst road followed by the Pacific Highway in NSW and the Princes Highway in Victoria, according to the research.