We linger a while in Eden, where a line of masts divides the main shopping street, and old sailors have a prime berth in the cemetery across from a perfect beach. Walhalla is a peaceful place and its easy to relax but the town has also retained the charm of its golden era and theres plenty to see. Eden is a great place to break your journey, and a terrific choice is Sprout Caf in the main street also a good spot to pick up some local preserves and other produce. It takes about 11 hours and the cheapest adult tickets start at $78. Whether you are looking for the fastest or the most scenic from Sydney to Melbourne, we have you covered. Historically, Eden was a whaling town, and besides the beaches and natural history, the top tourist attraction is the Eden Killer Whale Museum, which is well worth a visit. We cruise the Sea Cliff Bridge that swoops out spectacularly over the Pacific, and wish wed had time to walk or ride the ocean-side walkway. Away from the main town, the luxurious villas of Gipsy Point Lakeside offer views across the water and kangaroos grazing on the grass in front. Tip: Free parking is available at the lighthouse which was built in 1873 and is one of two lighthouses in NSW that is made from wrought iron. Particularly if you are driving on the opposite side of the road that you are used to. Or take a tour of the gaol where Ned, his mother, and Kelly sympathisers were imprisoned. Our favorite is the Klean Kanteen Classic Stainless Steel Water Bottle. St Saviours Anglican Cathedral is home to an 1884 Fosters & Andrews organ and an attraction not to be missed is the 1883 Appleby beam engine, which is housed in the Goulburn Historic Waterworks Museum by the banks of the Wollondilly River. (So, its about 300 kilometres longer and six hours more driving than going directly up the Hume Highway.). Luke from Culture Shock Adventure shares some more fantastic Aussie history with us. But it makes an excellent stopover for those on a road trip travelling the Hume Hwy between Melbourne and Sydney. The routes we took: Sydney to Melbourne: The coastal drive via the Princes Highway. Photographers should check out Cathedral Rocks, especially if you arrive in the early morning light. Built in 1890, Windsor House is one of the last original properties in Walhalla and offers five rooms for B&B accommodation. Theres a supermarket in Meeniyan or you could ask Marty at Moos to fix you up a dinner pack to cook on the barbeque (thats what I did). Australia's Highway 1. There are quite a few longer-stay holiday homes in Narooma, but if youre looking for somewhere easier for a night or two, these are my top suggestions. If you are partial to a bit of cheese, consider stopping in at the Bega Cheese Heritage Centre, which has a small cafe and shop. So from here, you have an easy 150km drive into Melbourne city. It has glistening white beaches, high cliffs, and crystal clear water for swimming. Distance Melbourne To Sydney : 878 km This is most direct route to take. #4 Good Water Bottle The sun can be brutal in Australia, so make sure to always carry a refillable water bottle with you. If you can manage an extended visit, Neil has a rundown on the best walks in the area. This is a popular hang gliding spot and a great place to get some photos of the coast and the famous bridge in the distance. Here are the best fuel saving tips for road trips and long drives. Day one of our three-day road trip from Melbourne to Sydney via (mostly) the Princes Highway is in the bag. Considering making the drive from Sydney to Melbourne? Thousands of people lived and worked here during the boom. Carry on inland from Kosciuszko National Park to visit Canberra, Australias very much underrated and under-visited capital city. From Wilsons Promontory, carry on along the coast and youll soon reach Gippsland Lakes. In this coastal route from Melbourne to Sydney, I am suggesting stops at Walhalla, Metung, Gipsy Point, Narooma, and Jervis Bay. At a high point we glimpse our destination, the harbour city herself glinting late-afternoon blue. Its along this stretch of coast that youll find most of Queenslands natural wonders, plus the scenery between them is beautiful. As well as the spacious apartments of different sizes, the Moorings at Metung also offer swimming pools, a tennis court, and private marina. There are a few different sized houses at the charming Driftwood Villas, with the largest able to sleep 12 people! There are not a lot of facilities here, certainly no petrol or shops, just a pub. Key highlights on the coastal drive between Sydney and Melbourne. The fastest route along the inland road with only a stop or two for coffee takes 10 hours. This wedge of rugged land extends from the coast out into the ocean, and its full of wildlife and wonderful hiking. With apartments of different sizes, Gowings of Mallacoota is great for families or longer-stay visitors wholl appreciate the amenities. In this road trip itinerary, Ill be taking you along the Melbourne to Sydney coastal drive. Three or more is preferable. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. Murramarang National Park is located mid-way down the NSW South Coast, about 20 kilometres north of Batemans Bay, and 270 kilometres south of Sydney. The choice is yours, but dont miss visiting the majestic Blue Mountains. At its peak, thousands lived and worked here, but now there is a resident population of around 20 people. When you reach Helensburgh, pat a kangaroo and take a selfie with a koala at Symbio Wildlife Park.Make a pit-stop at Stanwell Tops - a launch spot for hang-gliders and paragliders. SELECT A MAP Barkly Highway (66) Townsville to Tennant Creek Bruce Highway (1) Brisbane to Rockhampton Bruce Highway (1) Rockhampton to Cairns Dukes/Western Highway Adelaide to Melbourne (Inland) (8) Eyre Highway (1) (Adelaide to Ceduna) Eyre Highway (1) (Ceduna to Norseman) Eyre Highway (1) (Norseman to Perth) Great . This is about 900 kilometres long and will take just over nine hours of driving (without stops). There are also rare birds, whales and dolphins waiting to be spotted. Tip: Just up the hill from the wharves is the Eden Smokehouse, the award-winning purveyor of smoked seafood, including those delicious mussels in several different flavours. Make sure you also get petrol here or at nearby Fish Creek because there are no petrol stations at Wilsons Promontory. 246: 3: 0 |aFrom Melbourne to Sydney via Princes Highway : |bstrip maps and route onformation: 255 |aNot drawn to scale |c(E 1443500--E 1512200/S 335200--S 380800). Although the Wave Oasis B&B is set up like a guesthouse, each small apartment is self-contained and feels quiet and private. Im assuming that youre doing the coastal route between Melbourne and Sydney because you want to see the sights along the way, rather than just get between the two cities. The most direct way is to go straight along the Hume Highway, the main road that connects the two. Over a million people traverse some part of the highway network every day. Recommendation: If you are renting a car for this Melbourne to Sydney road trip, make sure to check out Rentalcars.com. But its all still beautifully laidback and, with the beaches and cafes, the whole region feels like a constant summer holiday. Gippsland's Port Albert. Best Places to Stay in Melbourne:Atlantis Hotel Melbourne | The Victoria Hotel | Great Southern Hotel Melbourne. On the Princes Hwy there is no possibility of doing it in one day. Melbourne to Sydney: The inland drive, via Hume Highway. Thanks Lyn the map shows both routes, you just need to click on the top left of the map and you can switch the views. The town is well-known for its restaurants and bars offering the best of its local cuisine and seafood. Mercedes E 300 Cabriolet. Imagine sailing on a lake one day, hanging out with kangaroos the next. You reach the island via a free 5-minute ferry ride from Paynesville across to the island. This route is about 1100 kilometres and takes about 14 hours of driving. And heres where a road trip is defined by the things you dont do. Sadly you can no longer tour the cheese factory but supporting the area by stopping in a never a bad idea. There are two options for places to stay. At a total length of approximately 14,500 km (9,000 mi) it is the longest national highway in the world, surpassing the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000 km or 6,800 mi) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 mi). For greater detail and planning, Google Maps has all the information you need to plan your road trip adventure. Regardless, this is a wonderful way to see this part of Australia and the beautiful southeastern coast. The story of immigration to the Latrobe Valley is told as you walk around the lake. Along the road between Canberra and Wagga Wagga. Car, plus road, plus company. Today we answer all your questions about driving between Australias two biggest cities. Day 1: Melbourne to Walhalla Option: Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory Day 2: Walhalla to Metung Day 3: Metung to Mallacoota Day 4: Mallacoota to Narooma Day 5: Narooma to Jervis Bay Day 6: Jervis Bay to Sydney. The next major stop along the highway is Jervis Bay. Josh Shephard, who blogs at The Lost Passport shares one of our favourite spots along this route, Murramarang. If you like tennis and big things, you will have a grand slam in Barellan, west of Wagga Wagga. Recommendation: One day trip definitely worth doing is to the Blue Mountains. We would recommend staying overnight and enjoying many of the local cafes and a wander around the Harbour foreshore. The cost of a flight between Melbourne and Sydney varies a lot throughout the year, but you can get a one way ticket for as low as $60 on a budget airline. Nestled in the Victorian High Country, Beechworth is a fascinating town steeped in Australian history. Dont underestimate how tiring driving long distances can be. Stopping at Ulladulla, Murramarang, Eden, Lakes Entrance, La Trobe Valley, Raymond Island and Wilsons Promontory. Seaside towns Broulee and South Durras miss the cut, as do the Mogo Zoo and Kiama, and Arthur Boyds artist retreat at Bundanon. It also has the best coffee in town. This is a lovely spot for an overnight stay (or longer) and a good meal in the brasserie or their a la carte restaurant. Suggested stops Bowral, Goulburn, Canberra, Gundagai, Wagga Wagga, Beechworth, Glenrowan. This has long been whale-spotting territory and amuseumhere holds the legend and the bones of famed Old Tom, the killer whale that collaborated with whalers by herding baleen whales into Twofold Bay. Within Jervis Bay, there are several towns where you can base yourself Huskisson is the main centre, Vincentia has lots of accommodation, and Hyams Beach is small but famous for its white sand. How many days should you allow to drive from Sydney to Melbourne? Only you can decide that, but we can help by showing you what you can see, do and eat on the road between these two capital cities to help you make your choice. " RAASA"--On some stripmaps. See also. The beaches and pools are fantastic for a swim, there are more than a dozen options for good coffee, and you can even do a bit of a hike up the Illawarra Escarpment if you feel like getting sweaty! Mallacoota is definitely worth an overnight stay if you enjoy the natural environment. Part of the road also traverses Tasmania. On land: We spot everything from echidnas to kookaburras, and Lisas tortoises might have been freshwater turtles looking for a nesting site in breeding season. In peak season, when airline prices surge many people from Sydney drive to Melbourne and most discover it would make a pretty good multi stop road trip when they do. And between the two, the storied Snowy River is flowing backwards. Despite discriminative policies at the time, the Barellan townspeople let her play, paving the way for the first indigenous Australian to reach world number one in tennis. Australias capital city is home to plenty of attractions, and most of them are free to visit. Just ensure you pack a few extra sweaters and a quality jacket. Further up the coast, Kiama is one of the most beautiful towns in the region, with great swimming beaches, calm azure rock pools, and large grassy slopes for picnics. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and loves exploring different parts of Australia. Princes Freeway is a 159-kilometre (99 mi) Australian freeway, divided into two sections, both located in Victoria, Australia. But this means there are lots of places to stop, things to do, and towns where you can stay overnight. 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. It takes about nine hours to complete the drive, although it can be a little longer depending on traffic while leaving Sydney or entering Melbourne. Take a detour inland from the coastal road to visit the dramatic surrounding of Kosciuszko National Park, one of the most beautiful national parks in Australia. A short visit or overnight? Found just off the southern coast close to Melbourne, Phillip Island is famous for being a haven for local wildlife. Treat yourself to the best vanilla slice ever! Marlo is where the Snowy meets the sea, and David from the anglers club explains that high tide has temporarily messed with the natural order of things, sending the river back towards the mountains from which it came. The Princes Highway begins at Melbourne and travels through the Gippsland region of Victoria in the east, before crossing the Victoria/New South Wales border and following the coast through the pretty seaside towns of Eden, Kiama and Batemans Bay to reach Sydney through Wollongong and the Royal National Park. If you have some extra time, I would highly recommend choosing a couple of the spots for an extra day to hang out and explore. Calories Bicycling 154.249 kcal Running 148.406 kcal Jogging 142.562 kcal CO2 Emission VS Trees Flight 535.76 kg (8982Trees) Bike 200.1 kg The Surf Beach Narooma Holiday Park is comfortable and basic, but its got an incredible location right on the beach. Although its quite small, another option for a break is Yarragon. For a fuller review, go to racv.com.au/carreviews, Additional photos: Getty Images, Leon Sidik. Why visit? Why stop here? Take a detour here onto the C311 and head to Hanging Rock, renowned for its incredible prehistoric rock formations . Todays drive is just long enough that youll probably want to stop somewhere to break up the journey and have a rest. Its off the main highway so doesnt get as much traffic as some other towns although its become popular in recent years. Kiama makes a pleasant detour off the highway for a morning coffee. Just a few minutes from town, Edgewater Terraces have a serious of large waterfront properties that are perfect for families or groups. Raymond Island is best accessed from Bairnsdale off the Princes Highway. The giant sheep is a symbol of Goulburns agricultural past and the citys prominence as a significant centre for Merino wool growing. Sure is, if you have enough time to stop and smell the roses. And there you have it the ultimate road trip itinerary. Where is it? Tip: For those wanting to rough it, bush camping is also available at a few campsites in the national park itself, try the Pebbly Beach, Pretty Beach or Depot Beach campgrounds. This coastal community is found in undeniably beautiful surroundings, and you can enjoy the best of what is known as the Sapphire Coast. Stripmaps from Melbourne to Brisbane and Gold Coast via Newell Highway. The coast road requires an overnight stop. (Although new trains are coming in 2023, which look much better!). 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). Its here that the continent turns a corner due north and New South Wales begins. Where do you stop when driving from Sydney to Melbourne? Photo: Lisa Luscombe. This website uses cookies to improve the user experience. "RACV copyright"--On some stripmaps. This historic park brings the history of the area to life with twenty-seven original relocated buildings dating from the 1840s through to the 1930s, including a Cobb and Co Inn. Highway 1 of Australia is with a length of 14,500 km (9,000 mi), the longest national highway in the world. Try some water-skiing or tubing with the family, or learn how to stand-up paddle board in the breathtaking . Ive driven the Great Ocean Road a long, long time ago but would love to do more. Theres lots to see and do on the NSW South Coast. You may hit a little bit of traffic if you leave during peak hour, but the roads are quite good. Fishing and boating are some of the most popular activities and a local company in Metung called Riviera Nautic offers a couple of options, including a leisurely cruise around the lakes. Here you can enjoy the beaches and oceans, but also the unusual sight of Australia Rock. Things have changed a lot. Best Places to Stay on Phillip Island:Ramada Resort | North Pier Hotel | Silverwater Resort. How do you determine best? 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. I hope you can see why these are my suggested stops between Melbourne and Sydney, because I think each has its own special reasons to visit. Its also home to the only Aboriginal-owned botanic gardens in the country. It comprises the largest towns in Gippsland; Traralgon, Moe and Morwell. For those wanting to stretch their legs, Victory Park is on the Princes Highway while the popular Gippsland Rail Trail bike path starts in Traralgon. Approximately 850 kms, about 8 hours. A road trip from Melbourne to Sydney is the best way to truly appreciate this wonderful part of Australia, but it can be difficult deciding exactly which route to take between the countrys two largest cities. This route is about 1200 kilometres long and takes about 15 hours of driving. We do not recommend trying to do the coastal route to Melbourne in one day. Jan Wild from Retiring not shy has also shared her love of Mallacoota. Its one of the most interesting natural locations in Australia but, for some reason, gets a limited number of tourists.