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Sydney to Melbourne is one of the most iconic drives in Australia. If you’re planning a journey down under with one of our super sturdy and spacious Spaceship campers, you simply have to check out this famous coastal route which takes you all the way from the region of New South Wales to Victoria along the southeastern corner of the island nation. You’ll experience everything from rugged coastline to surfer beaches, quaint little seaside towns to waterfall walks, and we promise you that there’ll be some pretty awesome food and some ice-cold beers waiting for you along the way too
From Sydney to Melbourne or from Melbourne to Sydney?
An excellent question, future Space Traveller. Is there a difference in which way to go when travelling between Sydney and Melbourne? When it comes to renting a campervan - which can also be used for just driving aka as a hire car - the direction doesn't matter. Spaceships Rentals has depots in both Sydney and Melbourne and as there are no fees for one-way trips you can pick up your campervan in one location and drop it off at the other location, as long as you book it like that.
When it comes to scenery and attractions it doesn't matter either. Driving from Sydney to Melbourne is just as amazing as from Melbourne to Sydney. All sights and attractions are accessible and beautiful regardless of which direction you're coming from. However, there may be other factors to consider, for example, the weather.
Depending on the time of year, the weather could influence your decision. For instance, if you're travelling during the summer, Melbourne's weather can be a bit more unpredictable than Sydney's. In this case, you might choose to start in Melbourne and head to Sydney to end your trip on a potentially sunnier note.
Leave Sydney behind to explore New South Wales on your way to Melbourne
Planning your trip: 5 day coastal drive from Sydney to Melbourne
The journey will begin in the illustrious city of Sydney, a sprawling and cosmopolitan city set at the foothills of the Blue Mountains and along the coast of the South Pacific. Everybody knows Sydney and anyone who comes here loves it so we would definitely recommend spending some time here checking out the sights. Make sure you get those unforgettable snaps at Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Bondi beach.
It’s around 1200kms from Sydney to Melbourne by car along the coast, so we’ve got a fabulous 5 day ride that splits your journey up into fairly evenly matched sections. It’s not just about this amazing road trip – it’s also about what you do in between and the fantastic stops along the way. So prepare for take-off: it’s time to board your Spaceship and buckle up for an unforgettable 5 day Sydney to Melbourne coastal drive!
Driving from Sydney to Melbourne (itinerary)
If you’ve got the luxury of time, this iconic coastal drive could easily be a 14-day adventure, giving you ample time at your starting destination and your final destination to really get into the swing of Aussie city life and rub shoulders with the local crowds. But if you don’t have two weeks, we think a 5-day adventure is the minimum needed to get a real taste of the Aussie coast.
Remember, the tips & itinerary below are just suggestions so feel free to tweak it or add stops to create your own epic road trip from Sydney to Melbourne.
Day 1: Sydney to Jervis Bay (200km): bridges, brunch, blow holes & beaches
Head south on the Grand Pacific Drive through the beautiful Royal National Park before picking up the B65 coast road. This takes you along to Wollongong, over the amazing 665m Sea Cliff Bridge which winds around the cliffs over the ocean. If you feel like a swim, check out the 2 huge “rock pools” at Austinmer Beach just north of Wollongong. These aren’t like any rock pools you’ve ever seen – no crabs scuttling for cover. They’re two giant outdoor saltwater swimming pools right by the beach and ocean. If you feel like a break, Wollongong is a great stop for brunch and a coffee. Try Diggies for a beach vibe or Uncle Earl’s for great coffee and a hearty breakfast.
Leave Wollongong skirting the edge of Lake Illawarra and stop off at Kiama Blowhole. Watch the ocean explode through a 2.5 metre hole in the rocks right on the shore – if the swell is running in the south east it can be a 30m fountain. There are a couple of viewing points to see this incredible natural phenomenon. Another 80kms down the coast takes you on the road to Nowra, where you can enjoy boat trips, kayaking or canoeing on the wide Shoalhaven River that runs through the town. Or for something different, try Treetops Adventure and cross the tree canopy by rope and rope bridges in Shoalhaven Zoo in Nowra.
Then it’s down to Jervis Bay with its white sand and clear blue waters for the evening. Take a swim or chill out at Hyam’s beach or enjoy a sunset barbecue in Booderee National Park. Look out for the Caves Beach campground to see kangaroos in the wild, or camp at Honeymoon Bay.
Take an early morning walk on the White Sands or Scribbly Gum Track in the National Park, or just kick back on the beach before hitting the road again.
Day 2: Jervis Bay to Narooma (215km): roos, rocks, cocktails and oysters
If you’re spending the morning at Jervis bay, you might want to get a coffee or some brekkie. Get your snout into 5 Little Pigs on Main Street, Huskisson or at their Food Trailer at Jervis Bay Brewing Co, and enjoy Swell Coffee brewed in New South Wales, a choice of juices as well as their Brekkie Burger with merguez sausage or the Big Pig all day breakfast. The Cooked Goose is a great for lunch if you’ve spent the morning on Hyam’s beach and the fish taco is amazing. If you need a coffee hit as you’re leaving Jervis Bay, try Albert n Miso in Vincentia shopping village, with home made sourdough and freshly brewed coffee from The Little Coffee Company in the Blue Mountains.
Head down the A1 for an hour and a half towards Bateman’s Bay and take a break in the picnic area at Pebbly Beach, where you may spot an Eastern Grey Kangaroo while you are snacking on your sanga. Then on to Bateman’s Bay, with more beautiful beaches, water sports on the sea or paddle boarding on the Clyde River. If you’re stopping for lunch, make sure you shuck an oyster from the Pearly Oyster Bar on the Clyde River.
It’s a short 68km drive down to your stop for the night at Narooma. Narooma is an aboriginal word for “clear blue waters” – and when you get there, you’ll see why. Take the 2.9km trail along Narooma surf beach to see the striking Glasshouse Rocks. They’ve been there quite a while - at least 440 million years!
And if you missed an oyster at lunchtime, there’s another opportunity to try a Sydney Rock Oyster at the Narooma Oyster Bar or Quarterdeck, right on the water, with a choice of fresh seafood dishes and signature cocktails. Have you ever had a Banana Daiquiri? Here’s your chance!
A must-try when roadtripping in Australia: fish and chips | photo: Seb Reivers
Day 3: Narooma to Lakes Entrance (330 km): pools, pies, Pinnacles & a sunset
Get a coffee and some breakfast at Surfbeach Cafe, with a parking spot for your Spaceship just behind the beach. Or head over to Salt to get brunch on their deck overlooking the marina and Wagonga Inlet. If you’re in a hurry but need a caffeine hit, grab an espresso and maybe a banana cake from Bound to Earth Espresso at the top of the hill in Narooma.
Then it’s time to hit the road for the longest drive of your 5 day Sydney to Melbourne road trip. If you feel like a swim, the 50 metre Bermagui Blue pool cut into the rocks right by the ocean is on your route to Eden.
Eden is around 130kms from Narooma, and definitely worth a break. Set on the Sapphire Coast of New South Wales, it overlooks Twofold Bay. Stretch your legs on the short 1km Pinnacles Loop walking track, through pine and eucalypt with fantastic look outs over the ocean. If you’re there between July and November, there’s every chance you’ll see humpback whales in Twofold Bay.
Get a coffee and early lunch at Toast Cafe on Imlay Street (their Eggs Benny is good) or try Eden Fish and Chips just along the road with a big choice of fresh fish. You’re spoilt for choice on Imlay Street, with the Rusty Plough recommended or you could just grab a pie from Martin’s Pie Place if you want to get back on the road in a hurry. Their strange but delicious Bangers & Mash pie is worth a try.
Then it’s back on board your Spaceships for a scenic afternoon’s 3-4 hour drive into East Gippsland in Victoria and on to Lakes Entrance, which is set on the inland waterways of Gippsland Lakes next to the ocean. There’s a bridge onto 90 mile beach, one of the worlds longest beaches. It’s worth getting there in time for the beautiful sunset. The Servo opposite the footbridge in the centre of town is a cool place for a sundowner cocktail at the end of your drive.
There are loads of places to camp along the lakes or the 90 mile beach shore.
Day 4: Lakes Entrance to Wilson’s Promontory (240km): from 90 mile beach to Squeaky beach
The quirky Funkey Monkey Cafe is open for breakfast 7 days a week and boasts the best coffee in town, although Bloody Good Coffee on the Esplanade may have something to say about that! You can order ahead and pick up breakfast from Salty Grom’s on the Esplanade too.
Then it’s onto the water. Swim or surf at 90 mile beach, or explore the lakes by kayak, boat or paddle boat tour. Pedal along Foreshaw Cycling Track, or even take a sauna on the lake shore.
It’s around a 3 hour drive, so it may be best to spend the morning at Lakes Entrance, before pushing onto Wilson’s Promontory, one of the best coastal national parks in Australia. You can break your drive in Yarram and take a cycle ride on the Tarra Trail, or visit Port Albert, Victoria’s oldest port.
You’ll see kangaroos and emus on Wilson’s Prom Wildlife Walk, and may also see wombats at dusk if you camp at the Tidal River camp ground. For a fantastic coastal walk at the end of your drive, walk from Tidal River to Squeaky Beach taking in Pillar Point. It’s about an hour each way, and you’ll see, or should that be hear, why it’s called Squeaky Beach when you get there.
There is a Tidal River General Store next to the visitor centre in Wilson’s Promontory National Park, or it’s a 30 minute drive out of the park back to Foster.
Wilson's Promontory - a must-see on your road trip from Sydney to Melbourne | photo: Ryan (CC BY-ND 2.0)
Day 5: Wilson’s Promontory to Melbourne (230km): peaks, pizza and Little Penguins
After a camp breakfast, take the amazing climb to the top of the 558m Mount Oberon. The walk begins from the Telegraph Saddle car park, and the summit gives spectacular panoramic views of the park, Tidal River, coast and islands. It’s around a 6.5km/2 hour walk there and back, depending on how long you stop.
Then it’s back into your Spaceships campervan for the lest leg of your Sydney to Melbourne road trip. But there’s still time for one more amazing stop: fabulous Phillip Island. It’s about a 1.5 hour drive from Wilson’s Prom followed by a 40 minute ferry ride from Stony Point in Mornington Peninsula.
If you’re hungry, the islands is a foodie heaven. Saltwater is right on the jetty at Newhaven and has wood fired pizzas. The Rusty Water Brewery Restaurant and Bar combines fantastic food with award-winning craft beer while Sweet n Sassy on The Esplanade in Cowes serves loaded shakes, smoothies and ice creams. You can even create your own shake.
Philip Island is a nature lovers paradise, with beautiful beaches and coastline for surfing and swimming. Take a walk to The Nobbies on the south western tip of the island for dramatic views and a glimpse of the Australian Fur Seal colony that calls Phillip Island home. Don’t miss the Little Penguins coming onto the beach in groups at and after sunset, and keep a look out for swamp wallabies and bandicoots too.
Explore the lane-ways of Melbourne - Check out amazing street art
The final drive on your epic Sydney to Melbourne road trip is 140kms until you touch down back at the Spaceships Melbourne depot, with plenty of time to enjoy the bars, nightlife and laid back urban vibes of Australia’s second city. You might even want to stay for a few days to fully explore the vibrant city of Melbourne.
Melbourne's famous laneways and arcades are a must-visit. They're filled with street art, boutiques, cafes, and hidden bars. Don't miss exploring areas like Hosier Lane, Degraves Street, and the Royal and Block Arcades.