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From Sydney to Melbourne | The best 8-day road trip through Australia
El roadtrip from Sydney to Melbourne This has been one of the routes we've enjoyed most while traveling through Australia. Charming coastal towns, spectacular beaches, and a constant feeling of traveling at a leisurely pace, savoring every corner.
During the journey, they are linked together stretches of coastline, natural parks and places where It's easy to see kangaroos and other Australian wildlife in its natural habitat. It's a perfect route to take in summer, exploring the southeast of the country and its two most popular cities.
In this guide we tell you about day-by-day route from Sydney to Melbourne, with the most worthwhile stops, approximate distances and practical tips for organizing your trip.
- What to know before taking a trip from Sydney to Melbourne
- Sydney to Melbourne road trip day by day
- Day 1: Royal National Park
- Day 2: Coastal route to Jervis Bay
- Day 3: Jervis Bay beaches, the whitest sand in the world
- Day 4: Coastal route with kangaroos and sea lions
- Day 5: Day of carback to Lakes Entrance
- Day 6: Viewpoints, beaches and koalas in the wild
- Day 7: Wilson's Promontory National Park
- Day 8: Phillip Island and arrival in Melbourne
- Route map from Sydney to Melbourne
We know that choosing what to do in Australia is super complicated; the itinerary options are endless in such a large and diverse country. In this article, we'll tell you how. The best places to see from Sydney to Melbourne y Our experience to inspire you and help you decideYou can also take a look at some of our other guides, such as the one on 25 free things to do in Sydney and everything there is to see in Melbourne.
what to know before taking a route from Sydney to Melbourne
Before we get into the nitty-gritty day-by-day itinerary of the Sydney to Melbourne road tripWe've put together some tips and practical information that we think are important for planning this route through carretreat in Australia and make the most of it.
🛣️ Total distance: unos 1.500 kmthe entire route is completely paved and in very good condition.
🚐 Type of trip: It's a perfect route to do in camperalthough it can also be easily traveled by car, combining travel with hotels or even in a tent for tighter budgets.
️ Recommended duration: 8 days seems ideal to us.
Minimum: 6 days.
With more time: You can extend it by adding extra stops near Melbourne or even a pre-trip getaway. Blue Mountains, a mountainous area about 2 hours from Sydney.
☀️ Best time to do the route: the Australian summer, of december to februaryLonger days mean you can enjoy the beaches much more. You can refresh yourselfcar at night even in summer.
(I.e. Internet connection: for most of the journey you will coveragealthough in some National Parks The signal may be limited or nonexistent. We recommend getting one. eSIM of Holafly.
🦘 Wildlife in the wild: It is common to see kangaroos, koalas and other animalsEspecially at dawn and dusk. Drive carefully!
🧭 Flexibility: It's a very rewarding route for improvisation, with many interesting stops that don't always appear essential.
Road trip de Sydney to Melbourne day by day
This 8-day road trip from Sydney to Melbourne takes you along Australia's southeast coast, combining beaches, national parks, and wildlife. In short, our itinerary for exploring this area in summer would be:
- Day 1: Royal National Park
- Day 2: Coastal route to Jervis Bay
- Day 3: Jervis Bay Beaches
- Day 4: Coastal route with kangaroos and sea lions
- Day 5: Day of carback to Lakes Entrance
- Day 6: Viewpoints, beaches and koalas in the wild
- Day 7: Wilson's Promontory National Park
- Day 8: Phillip Island and arrival in Melbourne
Now, let's get into the detailed day-by-day itinerary! We'll tell you about all the stops we recommend making from Sydney to Melbourne or vice versa. At the end of the guide, you'll find a map to give you a better visual idea of the route and help you get your bearings.carYou. You'll also find a budget hotel for each night and a free rest areaOr, if you prefer a budget-friendly option, you can find many campsites with all amenities on the App. campermate.
Day 1: Royal National Park
🚗 Distance: 120 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Coledale Beach Camp (paid)
🏨 Recommended hotel: Helensburgh Hotel
We left Sydney to begin our itinerary through Royal National Park, a coastal area full of wild beachesCliffs and hiking trails abound. There are so many places to visit; I recommend taking a look using Google Maps and choosing your favorites, or based on how much you feel like walking.
We went to Garie Beach and Figure Eight PoolsThese natural pools are reached via a beautiful 4km (one way) trail. Another very popular spot that we didn't get to visit was the Curracurrong waterfall, a cliff area with a waterfall that falls directly into the sea y Marley Beach, a beach with curious rock formations.
The day isn't over yet, because as evening falls, the best thing to do is head to the town of Helensburgh to enter the Glow Worm Tunnel, an old railway tunnel that has been taken over by thousands of glow wormsOr glowworms, you'll see the whole ceiling like a sea of blue stars, spectacular. As it got late, we stayed overnight in the village in our campervan, but technically it's forbidden to sleep outside designated rest areas.
Day 2: Coastal route to Jervis Bay
🚗 Distance: 160 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Free Camp State Forest
🏨 Recommended hotel: Huskisson Bayside Resort
We dedicated this second day from Sydney to Melbourne to making stops in different places, many viewpoints and coastal townsWe could say that almost all the towns are worth visiting, because the ocean views are spectacular, especially if you're lucky enough to have a sunny day.
These were the places where we stopped;
- Sea Cliff Bridge, a bridge that goes over the sea, has a footpath that runs along the bridge or you can see it from a viewpoint to get the perspective of the photo above (accessible from the parking lot past the bridge).
- Wollongong coastal village.
- Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien Temple, a huge Buddhist temple next to the carretera.
- Bushrangers Bay where you'll find small beaches and a marine reserve where you can snorkel with grey nurse sharksWe had a day of rough seas and could only see very blurry things in the distance, but I've included one of the many Google Maps photos of the reserve below.
We also stopped at kiama, to be part of their Coast Walka seaside path full of viewpoints We were lucky enough to see dolphins!
In the afternoon we had some Berry Donut Van doughnuts for a snack and We arrived in the Jervis Bay area to explore the next day. If you're staying near the coast, take a look at the beaches because there are often things to explore. bioluminescent plankton.
Day 3: Jervis Bay beaches, the whitest sand in the world
🚗 Distance: 40 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Jerrawanga Rest Area
🏨 Recommended hotel: Huskisson Bayside Resort
Today we're taking it easy, a day hopping from beach to beach along one of Australia's most beautiful coastlines. Turquoise waters surrounded by forest and white sand, very white, and I'm not the only one saying it, Hyams Beach holds the Guinness World Record for the whitest beach in the world because of his quartz composition.
There is a walk White Sands Walk It connects several beaches and is beautiful; you absolutely must visit at least one section. Our favorite was Greenfield Beach. Of course, you also can't miss Hyams Beach, which is incredibly long, so you'll find a spot all to yourself.
If you feel like exploring more beaches, venture into the Booderee National Park, another beach paradise Surrounded by nature. The best ones are Iluka Beach, Green Patch Beach, and Cave Beach.
Day 4: Coastal route with kangaroos and sea lions
🚗 Distance: 240 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Bodalla Rest Area
🏨 Recommended hotel: Holiday Lodge Narooma
We started the day at Boat Harbour, a beach where you absolutely have to... You'll see giant stripesThe bad news is that they exist because people feed them, something we strongly advise against, but despite that, I think it's interesting to observe.carI'll go see them. You can also go to Mollymook Beach and Stop at Hayden's Pies to try one of their feetI would venture to say they are the best we have tried in all of Australia and New Zealand.
Following the route, we We made a detour to Pebbly Beach to see its regular residents.Kangaroos. We've seen kangaroos dozens of times, but it's always exciting, and even more so with a sea view. They're usually found in a grassy area and are very friendly, again, because some people feed them…
To top off the day we arrived at Naroomawhich is located right at the river's mouth. There are several pretty cool viewpoints, but the best one is undoubtedly the one on the rocks of the breakwater. A colony of sea lions lives there Did you ever imagine seeing sea lions on a route from Sydney to Melbourne?
Day 5: Day of carback to Lakes Entrance
🚗 Distance: 400 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Log Crossing free camp
🏨 Recommended hotel: Albatross Motor Inn
Day 5 is one of the most "boring", or at least it was for us. the distances are long And there aren't any particularly interesting stops. An ideal day to put on some good music and do... carretera.
You can make your first stop in Tilba, a town with craft shops and full of 19th-century colonial-style housesThere's also a small factory and shop selling regional cheese. We also took a short walk and a dip in the Bermagui to Wallaga Coastal Walk.
La last stop in New South WalesBefore entering the state of Victoria, he was Pinnacles loop walking track, ideal for stretching your legs before the three hours remaining to Lakes Entrance, a super nice holiday town for a stroll.
Day 6: Viewpoints, beaches and koalas in the wild
🚗 Distance: 170 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Costal free camp
🏨 Recommended hotel: The Reserve Hotel
We started the first day in Victoria, visiting some of the Lake Entrance viewpoints, then drove to Paynesville and took the free ferry across to Raymond IslandIn just five minutes you can reach its Koala Trail. You'll almost certainly be able to see koalas in the wild here. resting on eucalyptus branches.
Our next stop was Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, where there are many free campsites opposite a beach almost 100km longWe spent the rest of the afternoon there relaxing. If you're traveling by car, don't worry because in the carThere are several towns in Retera where you can stay.
Day 7: Wilson's Promontory National Park
🚗 Distance: 210 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Stockyards Camp (paid)
🏨 Recommended hotel: BIG4 Holiday Park
Almost We reached the end of our self-drive route from Sydney to Melbourne to visit what was one of our favorite places, Wilson's Promontory National Park. On the way, we made a brief stop in Agnes FallsThere are 60-meter waterfalls very close to the parking lot. The best part was that we were lucky enough to see a koala and lots of parrots on the trail! So be sure to look up if you visit.
At Wilson's Promontory you can dedicatecar We spent the whole day exploring the different beaches, viewpoints, and trails. What we liked most was:
- Climb to the Mount Oberon viewpoint, about 4km with constant elevation change along a very wide path.
- The white sand and giant rocks of Squeaky Beach.
- Go up to Dunes of the Big Drift Walking across them, it felt like we were in the middle of the desert. It's 2km from the parking lot; the walk is fairly flat until you reach the dunes.
- Prom Wildlife Walk, at dawn and duskWe went on both occasions and saw dozens of kangaroos, some emus, and for the first time in our lives!a WombatThe trail is a 2km circular route on flat terrain.
There are many more places to visit, but I think that This is ideal for a day trip.Stay overnight inside the National Park or very close by to try and spot wildlife at dawn. There's a great campsite at Tidal Beach, but it's always full, so I've recommended one on the outskirts.
Day 8: Phillip Island and arrival in Melbourne
🚗 Distance: 300 km
🏕️ Recommended camping: Lang Lang Park (paid)
🏨 Recommended hotel: The Victoria Hotel
On your last day before arriving in Melbourne, I recommend you dedicatecarOn Philip Island, you'll spend the day exploring trails with ocean views, such as the Berry's Beach walking track or the platforms around Nobbies Centreand try to spot wildlife.
Philip Island is super popular for being home to thousands of blue penguinsthe smallest species in the world. We were lucky enough to See them in New ZealandThey are beautiful.
You can stay until night to watch how they return to their nests after a day at sea (you need ticket for the conservation center). Or during the day look at the rocks to see hidden things Those who haven't been out to sea. Another very popular activity is going on boat to Seal's rockwhere a colony of more than 7.000 sea lions.
So far the Complete itinerary for independent travel from Sydney to Melbourne or vice versa. If you have any questions or suggestions, please leave them in the comments!
Map route from Sydney to Melbourne
To continue planning your route, you can read other articles about Australia and see our featured stories on InstagramHave a wonderful trip to the land of kangaroos!
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