The routes we took: Sydney to Melbourne: The coastal drive via the Princes Highway. Down the side streets, the chocolate shop and the tea shop are both very popular. If it is not essential to drive from Melb to Sydney, then as mentioned you might want to consider flying. The clearly marked trail is 1.3 km long. Sydney to Melbourne and Return self guided motorbike tour | GOR | Great Dont underestimate how tiring driving long distances can be. If you stay in each location for just the night, itll be a six-day road trip from Melbourne to Sydney. To find the map for the driving distance from Melbourne to Sydney via Princess highway, please enter the source and destination and then select the driving mode. Melbourne To Sydney Via Princes Highway - Melbourne Forum You can read my story about swimming with the seals at Montague Island or you can check the availability of the tours. Stay on the coast road as far as Gerroa, so you can see Gerringong and the fabulous Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Lookout over Seven Mile Beach. As a wise man once said, If you cant afford travel insurance, you cant afford to travel. So dont leave home without it. Kiama makes a pleasant detour off the highway for a morning coffee. The island is home to the smallest penguins in the world and theyre the most numerous inhabitants on the island. Sydney to Melbourne (2 days), Time in Melbourne (2 days), Melbourne to Sydney (2 days) The routes we took Sydney to Melbourne: The coastal drive via the Princes Highway. Our itinerary will take you through the most iconic towns and cities, the rugged Phillip Island, the small town of Walhalla, the beautiful Wilsons Promontory, and onto the vast Kosciuszko National Park. Ive got more details in my story about things to do in Jervis Bay. Again, you can either drive yourself or join a full-day tour from Sydney. Its around here that Lisa spots her second tortoise on theroadso we stop for coffee at theCannRiverCaf,where they dont do runny eggs in their egg and bacon roll, just how we like it. Our entree to Sydney is via Royal National Park, on a gorgeous ribbon of road winding through hairpins and wide bends under a canopy of sub-tropical green. There is a lot to do in Melbourne itself, and plenty more in the surrounding areas, and you may find yourself hanging around much longer than anticipated. Canberra is 2.5 hours from Sydney and 6.5 hours fromMelbourne. Two other popular alternatives are World Nomads and Heymondo. Quiet and laidback, you can hang at the beach or go cycling along the coast track, and then refresh with excellent dining options like the Whale Inn and the Quarterdeck. The most picturesque option is to combine the two to create an encompassing itinerary where youll cover well over 1,000 kilometers or 620 miles by car, but that will ensure you see the best that southeast Australia has to offer. The destination for today is the Gippsland Lakes, the largest navigable inland water system in Australia. This Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive itinerary is a superb choice for nature lovers, with stunning national parks and plenty of chances to see Aussie animals in the wild. Ive got more tips here on things to do in Walhalla. Gorgeous national parks surround the town with bush-covered ranges, magical waterfalls, rivers and streams, and tranquil rural farmlands. Its roughly 400 kilometres from Bermagui to Sydney, and the sticky-notes are thick along this section of the map. Its also best to make sure you have adequate insurance and roadside assistance when you begin your Melbourne to Sydney road trip. The monument is an exact replica of her wooden racquet, except its twenty times bigger. This is the experience that awaits you atRaymond Island Koala walk-in Gippsland. Best Places to Stay near Kosciuszko National Park:Alpine Gables | Pure Chalet | Lantern Apartments. If youre only planning to stay one night, you wont be able to access the areas that need long hikes in. That being said, compared to other countries in the world the distances between cities and towns in Australia can still be comparatively vast. The town is well-known for its restaurants and bars offering the best of its local cuisine and seafood. One of the best things to do in Narooma is a trip to Montague Island, which is home to hundreds of friendly seals. Except for wallabies, echidnas, a kookaburra, a hen near Sydney and the two tortoises that Lisa swears she sees while Im looking the other way. There is the practical benefit that you get between the countrys two largest cities without having to worry about the logistics of a flight. #3 Good Guidebook Lonely Planet guidebooks are still our favorites and their Australia edition is very thorough and a must for anybody traveling around Australia. This post contains affiliate links. Go to our Trip Plannerpage to plot your own itinerary map and plan your road trip adventure. Seaside towns Broulee and South Durras miss the cut, as do the Mogo Zoo and Kiama, and Arthur Boyds artist retreat at Bundanon. However, taking this option means you miss out on everything in between. Found in the Victorian countryside, this small town was once a booming gold mining settlement in the middle of the 19th century. Where is it? Leaving NSW and entering Victoria, the first settlement you will come to is Genoa. While there are plenty of accommodation options along the road between Sydney to Melbourne, you will also find that there are plenty of free and cheap camping options too, which can add a new element to your road trip. Carry on inland from Kosciuszko National Park to visit Canberra, Australias very much underrated and under-visited capital city. RACV Melbourne to Sydney map, including strip maps detailing route and attractions along the Hume and Princes highways ($6 member price at RACV Retail Stores). We are regular visitors to this pretty seaside town and have shared our favourite things to do in Kiama here. Cartoscope do a great touring route booklet guide for the Princes Hwy, Melb- Sydney. Where do you stop when driving from Sydney to Melbourne? You could just power through until the end, but there are still some wonderful things to see along this stretch. Locally caught flathead fillets, Bluewave Seafood, Bermagui Fishermens Wharf, NSW. In the summer holiday season and on long weekends, the first section from Sydney to Jervis Bay can take an hour longer. This spectacular destination is home to a vast network of lakes and lagoons that meet with the open ocean. A sticky note tells us to head for the ocean here, but beds and flathead fillets are beckoning from Bermagui and they join the list for next time. A month earlier the river mouth was almost closed but recent rain has gifted us this little quirk of time and tide. Mercedes E 300 Cabriolet. The main town in Croajingalong National Park is Mallacoota, and youll find accommodation and restaurants there. Photographers should check out Cathedral Rocks, especially if you arrive in the early morning light. You need to leave Sydney by 6am to make good time and not get stuck in peak hour traffic. It is one of Australias best national parks and a very popular destination for people from Melbourne particularly during school holidays. (, I Guess Thats Why They Call It the Blues, Elton John. The 15.2m high Big Merino marks the turnoff to Goulburn along the Hume Highway. Sure is, if you have enough time to stop and smell the roses. How many days should you allow to drive from Sydney to Melbourne? Ive driven the Great Ocean Road a long, long time ago but would love to do more. There are a few different routes you could take to get between Melbourne and Sydney. Phillip Island should be the first stop when you leave Melbourne or alternatively, you can explore this rugged island on a day trip from the city itself if youd prefer.