First dates can be exciting, awkward and a tricky one to navigate through – let alone navigate to. The Australian dating scene is no less difficult to steer through, with two major cities, Brisbane and Sydney, ranked globally as some of the worst cities for finding love1.
Between a mix of nerves and excitement, choosing which outfit to wear, or deciding what questions you should ask your date, there’s one universal hurdle that every Aussie faces – getting there.
For many, the logistics of travel can feel like the hardest part. Is it okay to ask for a lift from your date? What do you do if they ask you to cover for their petrol? Or should you just ask a friend to drop you off?
We conducted a national survey with over 1,000 Aussies* that revealed for the most part, just making the effort to turn up really sets the bar for how far they would go for love.
With the rise of dating apps and undefined ‘situationships’ making the dating scene more confusing than ever, we uncovered if Aussie’s are willing to go the distance to find love – starting with the road to get them to a first date.
The national one-hour rule
There are many spoken – and unspoken – rules on a first date. Don’t be late, make sure you compliment your date, pick up the bill, and try not to get food stuck in your teeth. But is there a rule for how far you should actually commit to driving to your date?
Most Aussies feel that anything over an hour is pushing their commitment to a date with 35% of Aussies agreeing they wouldn't drive for more than 30 minutes, while another 41% set their max drive time at 60 minutes. Only a mere 10% of die-hard romantics would take their quest for love over a two-hour drive time.
This ‘one-hour’ rule is generous by some Aussie’s standards, but the bar to impress is far, far lower:
For some, it’s truly the thought that counts, with one-third (33%) of Aussies saying they would be impressed by any distance travelled as it’s the gesture that counts – cancel the call to the florist!
Another 6 in 10 (55%) of Aussies would be impressed if their date travelled an hour or less for their date.
Australia is a country filled with long-open roads with beautiful scenery – but not everyone wants to take the scenic route when it comes to travelling to a first date. Though you don’t need to embark on a major road trip to make a good first impression, some would rather take a chance on love and expand their search outside their own postcode.
Setting boundaries
Aussie women and men find that there are certain expectations on a first date with some starting from the moment you open the car door.
Roughly 1 in 3 men (29%) and women (32%) expect to be picked up by the date’s organiser. However, of those expecting their date to chauffeur, 49% of women say the organiser should also pay for petrol and parking, compared to 32% of men.
Women are happy to stay within their comfort zone, with 45% saying they would drive an hour or less for a first date compared to 25% of men.
On the other hand, men are more likely to make more of a trip out of a first date. Men are three times more likely to travel over two hours for a date than women (16% vs 5%) turning what could have been a simple coffee catch‑up into something resembling a romantic cruise through the countryside.
So, what’s the one thing that both genders agree on? The right to bring up their travel efforts. 57% of men and 55% of women would feel comfortable bringing this up as a first date topic. There’s no better way to impress your date than to boast about the fact you showed up, right?
Chivalry isn’t dead just yet
With dating apps and chronic ghosting, it seems as though the days of chairs being pulled out for you and doors being held open are gone. Let’s see how each generation compares.
Gen Z leads the generations in those chasing a display of romance, with 45% expecting to be picked up by the organiser of the date compared to only 18% of Baby Boomers.
Gen Z are also strikingly more confident about boasting to their date about the effort they took to turn up, when compared to other generations:
- Gen Z - 67%
- Millennials – 64%
- Gen X – 48%
- Baby Boomers – 44%
Older generations seem to be more reserved about the modern dating scene, with Baby Boomers preferring to take their own vehicle to a first date (76%), compared to 72% of Gen X, 62% of Millennials, and 52% of Gen Z. Whether it’s from a lifetime of experience – or for the freedom to pull an Irish good-bye and have an early night – older Aussies are finding ways to keep their dating lowkey.
Which state is willing to go the extra mile?
Each state has their own standard for first date etiquette – but which state is willing to go the furthest?
Western Australians are really setting the standard for the rest of Aussies, with residents driving the furthest for love, with over 1 in 4 WA locals (28%) agreeing they would drive for more than an hour for a first date.
On the other hand, Queenslanders are some of the least committed out of the country. 40% of those from the sunshine state would cap their travel time at 30 minutes, sticking instead to their local spots. Consequently, Queenslanders are also among the more likely to be uncomfortable sharing their efforts of travel time with their date (23%), showing that it can be a little embarrassing to put in little effort.
Victorians are likely to brag though – with 60% feeling comfortable to yap to their date about the effort they took to get there.
Some people may be endeared by the confidence of sharing drive time... others, not so much.
Is it really that bleak out there?
One thing is for sure – Aussies will always try to find the time. Whether that’s a small percentage driving over two hours to meet someone for the first time, or simply travelling the block to your local, all is not completely lost, and Aussies are clocking in some travel time on the ultimate life adventure – the search for love.
1Source: TimeOut - These two Aussie cities are among the worst in the world for dating and finding love, according to locals
*Disclaimer: Data for the First Date study was sourced from a survey conducted by Dynata from 30 January 2026 to 2 February 2026, involving 1,002 individuals aged 18 years old and above, from all states and territories within Australia. Some percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Survey results have not been independently verified by Youi and may not be representative of the general population. Youi makes no representation or warranty of any kind of the accuracy, adequacy, reliability, or completeness of the data and accepts no liability for any loss or damage of any kind suffered as a result of the use of or reliance on the data. Individual experiences may vary.
