Melbourne to Sydney

Planning your next motorhome road trip along this iconic and popular route?
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Beaches, bush, culture and wildlife!

Journey the stunning coastline interspersed with delightful towns. Make it a loop and discover mountains, history and adventure. Call into the nation’s capital or make friends with a wombat – the choice is or yours.
DISTANCE: 1,200 kms
SUGGESTED TIME FRAME: 7 days minimum
BEST TIME OF YEAR: Anytime, but winter may be cold
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Watch this video for a quick taste of the Melbourne to Sydney route:

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Highlights of a driving holiday from Melbourne to Sydney

Heading North

  • North east of Melbourne is the Yarra Valley wine region. It’s only about an hour out of Melbourne, and a pleasant drive. Enjoy time at the cellar doors, and indulge in the local produce.
  • Phillip Island is a beautiful detour and famous for the Little Penguins and their nightly parade.
  • It’s another beautiful drive south to Wilsons Promontory. You can camp in the National Park (busy over holidays and summer weekends) or there are camping areas outside of the National Park. Enjoy the stunning scenery which includes beaches, headland and mountains inside the park too. There are plenty of scenic lookouts and walks to really appreciate the park.
  • Keep your eyes open for wildlife like wombats around sunrise/sunset, emus, kangaroos and other birdlife.
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  • Detour to the scenic South Gippsland Highway and side roads out to the coast to experience the wetlands and watch the local birdlife.
  • Lakes Entrance which is another boating paradise – the scenic lookout as you’re entering town, gives a good appreciation of the area. Having both beach and lakeside activities, makes this another popular holiday destination for locals. There are some lovely walks and you’ll find that this is one of the warmest places in Victoria, which may be good to know if you’re travelling during winter.
  • Eden is where you’ll get your first glimpse at the ‘sapphire coast’ and with the sun shining brilliantly; it is easy to see how it got its name. Seafood is sold everywhere, with mussels being a local delicacy. Eden still has a working port, so enjoy parking up and watching the trawlers unloading their catches while indulging in some local fish and chips, or some tasty treats you’ve prepared in your camper.
  • Bega is well known with the Aussies for producing cheese, of the same name as the town. The Bega Heritage Centre gives you the opportunity to taste the product and of course purchase some of those cheeses you don’t see in the supermarket. The area around Bega is very lush and you can tell why the cheese tastes so good!
  • There’s plenty of camping all along the Sapphire coast both in National Parks and commercial camps. If you have time and are interested, you’ll also find plenty of bays that offer great snorkeling and fishing.
  • Central Tilba is a Historic Village. This beautiful 19th century town has been preserved in the most magnificent setting, overlooking farmland in the surrounding hills and a stunning escarpment; it’s easy to lose time here. There’s excellent coffee, two cheese shops including a 100 year old factory, fudge tasting, galleries, boutiques and much more.
  • Batemans Bay – another delightful place, situated at the mouth of the Clyde River. There’s plenty to do and of course seafood to enjoy.
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  • Jervis Bay Village is in the Booderee National Park, which we highly recommend visiting and perhaps enjoying for at least one night, camping. There are numerous walks and beaches to explore. If you need some ‘café time’, there couldn’t be a nicer location to visit than Huskisson, overlooking a stunning waterway. Think white sand and turquoise blue water!
  • Detour from the coast or call in on your return trip (if you’re doing a loop) to the nation’s capital in Canberra to discover culture and history.
  • If you’re heading inland, we love Kosciuszko National Park for hiking and mountain biking. This area has some of the countries most popular snowfields in winter, and turns into an adventure playground in late spring/early summer.
  • Getting closer to Sydney detour just north of Nowra to Kangaroo Valley. It’s a stunning drive up a mountain which offers spectacular views of the farmland and the coast in the distance. There is a free camp in near Kangaroo Valley (self contained vehicles).
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Learn more details and useful planning tips about this route.

Grab yourself a drink, sit back and relax while you watch this 8-minute video providing more insight to help your road trip planning from Melbourne to Sydney.

Melbourne to Sydney route planning tips

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  • Travelling along the coast you’ll also find plenty of opportunities for some fishing, so pack a fishing rod is a must if you enjoy fishing.
  • This travel route will be cold in winter, with autumn, summer and spring the most popular time to experience.
  • There’s also some freedom camping opportunities and commercial grounds, with some in stunning locations.
  • If you’re travelling this route during any peak holiday period or school holidays, you’ll find the campgrounds do fill up, and it would be either wise to book ahead or choose to stay in land a little away from the popular coastal areas.

7 days is a good amount of time, however if you have a few more days, it will allow you to appreciate the numerous walks and national parks that are found throughout this route.

  • You can pick up your camper in Sydney or Melbourne from one of our depots, and it doesn’t really matter which direction you travel. Some of our clients include a detour firstly west of Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road, before heading to Sydney.
  • Refer to the Camps Australia Wide Guide book for locations for freedom camps which can be purchased along your route at some information centres, book or camping stores. You can also purchase an app called ‘Wiki Camps’ if you use a smart phone or tablet, plus the information centres en-route are a gold mine for local information.
  • See plenty of wildlife along this route also like wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, vast range of birdlife and maybe an echidna or two.
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