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Travelling down the mighty M31 (Hume Highway), the 900-kilometre inland drive from Sydney to Melbourne can be done in around nine hours.
But what’s the hurry? With historical townships and engaging attractions scattered along the route, there are endless ways to turn this otherwise gruelling drive into the road trip of a lifetime!
Sydney to Melbourne Road Trip – Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas – Google My Maps
Watch our video of top things to do on Sydney to Melbourne road trip: https://youtu.be/SOFZZLUuXnw Travelling down the mighty M31 (Hume Highway), the 900-kilometre inland drive from Sydney to Melbourne can be done in around nine hours. But what’s the hurry?
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do on a Sydney to Melbourne road trip — or vice versa. Ready to roll? Let’s hit the road!
1. Explore the Harbour City by bike
Your first priority will be, of course, to get amongst Sydney’s many iconic sights. But like any major city, the New South Wales capital can test your metal in terms of its crowded streets, hectic traffic, and eye-wateringly expensive parking. So, leave the car at your hotel and opt to sightsee by e-bike! Choose a durable, versatile, and dependable option like the Engwe M20, and you’ll be assisted pedalling from Bondi to Balmain in no time — and doing something positive for the environment in the process. Download a City of Sydney cycling map, which details many of the most popular routes.
Watch our video of top things to do on a Sydney to Melbourne road trip:
10 Top Things to Do on a SYDNEY to MELBOURNE ROAD TRIP, Australia (Inland Route via Canberra)
In part one of this double episode, we join AAT Kings on their amazing Tastes of Southern Australia guided adventure from Sydney to Melbourne and bring you tips for ten amazing things to do along the way.
2. Stop and smell the flowers at the Australian Botanic Garden
Departing Sydney down the M31 towards the nation’s capital Canberra, make your first stop of the day the wonderful Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan — the largest botanic garden in the country, and one devoted entirely to showcasing our native flora. Wander the well-maintained paths and walkways at your own pace or do a guided tour. You’ll pick up endless insights and fun facts about Australia’s natural environment. There are always themed plantings and plenty of seasonal colour to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over.
3. Be judge and jury in Berrima
Less than an hour further along the Hume lies the charming Southern Highlands village of Berrima — a Georgian-era jumble of cottages, cafes, boutiques, and winery cellar doors. One of the must-sees here is the old Berrima Courthouse, which began dispensing colonial justice back in the 1830s. Arguably the most famous case tried at this imposing sandstone edifice was that of convicts and lovers Lucretia Dunkley and Martin Beech, who were accused of the murder of Lucretia’s husband Henry Dunkley (himself a pardoned convict) in 1842. The dark details of the case come to life in a sound and light experience at the Courthouse, which operates daily (with the exception of Christmas Day). Spoiler alert: It didn’t end well for either of the accused, who swung from the gallows at nearby Berrima Gaol.
4. Snap a selfie with the Big Merino (Goulburn)
From Berrima, it’s an hour’s drive to Goulburn — the first inland city established in Australia and home to one of the country’s most impressive ‘big things’. Built in 1985 and modelled on a local stud ram by the name of Rambo, the Big Merino pays homage to the region’s almost two century-old wool industry — and a selfie with this woolly mammoth is a must. If this is your lunch stop, swing by the Hibernian Hotel in the CBD and enjoy some good old fashioned country hospitality.
5. Taste the wares of Lake George Winery (Canberra)
Peeling off the M31 onto the Federal Highway (M23) towards Canberra, you’ll pass the basin of mysterious Lake George. Sometimes you see it, sometimes you don’t! The lake is extremely shallow and regularly evaporates entirely, leaving behind a vast expanse of bare ground. Named in honour of this enigmatic waterway, nearby Lake George Winery offers a delightful introduction to the capital’s ever more impressive wine scene. The cool climate terroir yields stellar pinot noirs, pinot gris, and sauvignon blancs. Do a tasting at the cellar door and perhaps stay on in one of the property’s select accommodation options.
6. Pay your respects at the Australian War Memorial (Canberra)
Farming and bushland soon morph into the suburban streets and wide city boulevards of Canberra. Fanning out from Lake Burley Griffin, this purpose-built city has plenty to offer visitors and you could easily fill a stay of two or three days. If time isn’t on your side, make it a priority to visit the Australian War Memorial. This is one of the finest museums in the country (if not the world) and documents Australia’s involvement in armed conflicts and peacekeeping missions stretching back to the 1880s.
Time your visit to coincide with the Last Post Ceremony, which takes place every afternoon (excluding Christmas Day) in the Commemorative Courtyard and honours a single name from the Roll of Honour. The ceremony concludes with an emotive rendition of the Last Post.
7. Give a poetic dog a bone in Gundagai
The drive from Canberra to the Victorian border takes about four hours, and this part of the trip will see you lost in thought as kilometre after kilometre of grazing country and the distant Great Dividing Range drift by. There are some interesting places to break up the trip, including the town of Yass — home to heritage attractions such as Cooma Cottage and the Yass Railway Museum.
However, it’s Gundagai — another hour on from the Yass turn-off — that attracts most of the attention from passing travellers. Immortalised in popular culture by Jack O’Hagan’s famous song Along the Road to Gundagai (written in 1921), the town had also found fame thanks to a poetic pooch. The story of the Dog on the Tuckerbox is thought to have stemmed from a mid-19th century drover’s poem, and a physical monument depicting the faithful hound was unveiled in 1932 by then prime minister Joseph Lyons. The statue is located just off the Hume Highway, about eight kilometres north of Gundagai itself.
8. Down a Beechworth bee-sting
Having crossed the border into Victoria, hang a left and hightail it over to the heritage township of Beechworth — one of regional Victoria’s best-preserved Gold Rush-era municipalities. The streets are lined with beautifully preserved period buildings, including the Town Hall, Post Office, Old Telegraph Station, and former Gold Office. It’s well worth ducking into the characterful Hotel Nicholas for a coldie and casual perusal of the hundreds of old photographs on display in the lounge. Publican Lorraine is a font of knowledge on local history and will be happy to answer any questions that arise. Note the grainy photos of Ned Kelly: to many, a victim of oppression and racial discrimination, as much as a notorious bushranger.
Just a short walk back up the main street from the pub, Beechworth Bakery is best known for its custard-filled bee-stings — but any of this famous country bakery’s flaky creations will undoubtedly hit the spot!
9. Get on the trail of the Kelly gang in Glenrowan
Make your way back to the Hume and on to Glenrowan — the heartland of Kelly Country. Following three years on the run from the law, the Kelly gang’s dramatic last stand took place at the Glenrowan Inn on June 28, 1880 — and it was here that the legend of this armour-clad bushranger was truly born. Today, the town’s main street is packed with hit-and-miss Kelly-themed attractions, but don’t miss seeing the impressive new Ned Kelly Discovery Hub. It opened in mid 2023 and chronicles the events leading up to the Kellys’ siege of the Inn, dressed in armour fashioned from parts of farming ploughs. Ned Kelly was injured in the clash with authorities, but survived, and was taken to Melbourne to stand trial for murder. Entry to the Hub is free of charge.
10. Ride Melbourne’s heritage W Class trams
A leisurely two-hour run from Glenrowan will bring you into Melbourne, and exploring the Victorian capital couldn’t be easier or cheaper — thanks to the city’s tram network and free tram zone. One of the trams that will be of most interest to visitors is the No. 35, which does a loop around the CBD with stops at (or near) most key attractions. It operates within the free tram zone (meaning there’s no charge to ride) and recorded commentary is provided.
More than 750 of the distinctive W Class trams that operate on this route were built here in Melbourne in the first half of the 20th century. Today, only a small fleet remains in service, but it continues to play a role in keeping the city on the move. Hop off at the State Library Victoria to see Ned Kelly’s armour, which is on permanent display.
This post was published thanks to Engwe.
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Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of top things to do on a Sydney to Melbourne road trip? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Depositphotos, Bigstock, and Envato
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours & Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
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