Your Itinerary
Three legs taking in Albury-Wodonga, the national capital and the Southern Highlands.
A
Leg 1: Melbourne – Albury-Wodonga
3 hrs drive · 304 km
Take a stroll through Albury’s new “QEII Square” where you can visit the Albury Regional Art Gallery to see works by well-known 20th century Australian artists or the Albury Regional Museum. Book a seat for a performance by The Hothouse Theatre Company or The Flying Fruit Fly Circus. Cross over the Murray River into Wodonga and take a leisurely drive out to the Army Museum at Bandiana or take in a “Migrant Experience” at Block 19, Bonegilla.
B
Leg 2: Albury-Wodonga – Canberra
4 hrs drive · 345 km
Take the Hume Highway north to Canberra. This well-planned city was established in 1911 to create a capital for the newly federated country of Australia. Hidden beneath Canberra’s leafy surrounds is a thriving modern city with national attractions that hold and share the treasures of the nation. At the National Gallery of Australia experience Australia through the eyes of our artists. Regular free tours will guide you through Parliament House, one of the world’s most acclaimed buildings. At Old Parliament House wander through this iconic 1920s building that was home to the Australian Parliament for 61 years, and see the National Portrait Gallery collection, which includes Ned Kelly’s death mask. At the National Museum of Australia be enthralled by the stories of unique Australians, and then visit the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier at the Australian War Memorial.
C
Leg 3: Canberra – Sydney
3 hrs drive · 280 km
The final leg of the journey leaves Canberra and charts a course to Goulburn and through the Southern Highlands to Australia’s most famous city, Sydney. As Australia’s first inland city, Goulburn has a rich pioneer history, much of which can be seen on the self-guided heritage walking and cycling tours of the City. Visit a nearby farm to experience the farming way of life, or explore the surrounding country and drive into the mountains to explore the beauty of Wombeyan Caves, via Taralga. Train enthusiasts should consider a stop at Moss Vale to board the Cockatoo Run, and see the scenery from a heritage train that travels regularly from the coast to the Highlands and return. From Moss Vale continue your drive to the villages of Bowral and Berrima to explore historic buildings, antique and craft shops, and relax in friendly cafes. Find out everything there is to know about cricketer Sir Donald Bradman at Bowral’s Bradman Museum. Stop at Mittagong to wander through local art galleries or follow walking trails to lookouts on Mt. Gibraltar and Mt. Alexandra. Mittagong is a lively centre with cafes, good restaurants, and plenty of accommodation options. The final section of the drive along the Hume Highway takes you through the south-western suburbs of Sydney.
Distances Between Cities (km)
Handy for planning longer Australian road trips.
| Distance /km | Adelaide | Brisbane | Cairns | Canberra | Darwin | Hobart | Melbourne | Perth | Sydney |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | – | 2127 | 2845 | 1212 | 3225 | 1007 | 755 | 2713 | 1422 |
| Alice Springs | 1693 | 3064 | 2435 | 2905 | 1532 | 2700 | 2448 | 3772 | 2960 |
| Brisbane | 2127 | – | 1826 | 1331 | 3582 | 1927 | 1675 | 4427 | 1027 |
| Cairns | 2845 | 1826 | – | 3157 | 2953 | 3753 | 3501 | 4727 | 2853 |
| Canberra | 1212 | 1331 | 3157 | – | 4233 | 903 | 651 | 3925 | 304 |
| Darwin | 3225 | 3582 | 2953 | 4233 | – | 4232 | 3580 | 4283 | 4095 |
| Hobart | 1007 | 1927 | 3753 | 903 | 4232 | – | 252 | 3720 | 1145 |
| Melbourne | 755 | 1675 | 3501 | 651 | 3580 | 252 | – | 3468 | 893 |
| Perth | 2713 | 4427 | 4727 | 3925 | 4283 | 3720 | 3468 | – | 4135 |
| Sydney | 1422 | 1027 | 2853 | 304 | 4095 | 1145 | 893 | 4135 | – |
A
Melbourne
Start of the journey
B
304 km
Albury-Wodonga
3 hrs drive
C
345 km
Canberra
4 hrs drive
D
280 km
Sydney
3 hrs drive
The Hume
3 - 4 Berth
From
$110
/day
★★★★★
“My hubby & I hired The Hume for a week, loved our time in it & wished we had longer! The van is set up with everything needed & was very comfortable.”
The Riverina
3 – 4 Berth
From
$100
/day
★★★★★
“Thanks for the service, friendly helpful team, they went above and beyond to show me how everything works! Vehicle was very comfortable.”
The Princes
2 – 3 Berth
From
$90
/day
★★★★★
“Rented a Princes from Calypso for 8 weeks. It was reliable for the 7000km we used it for. Pickup and return were organised really well and easy.”
The Sturt
2 – 3 Berth
From
$80
/day
★★★★★
“We rented the HiTop — Berth 2–3 — for 5 days from Melbourne and it was perfect! Everything we needed was included, with no hidden charges.”
Things you need to know
Australians drive on the left . However, it does take only a small amount of time to adjust – just remember, passenger on the kerb side! Observe the law and drive safely
You must be licensed and carry your licence with you when you are driving in Australia, or you will incur an on-the-spot fi ne. If your licence is not in English, you must carry an English translation.
All passengers must use seatbelts at all times. Baby capsules or child restraints must be used for all children.
You must not drive at a speed over the posted limit (check signs along the roads). In most towns the limit is 50 km per hour and on freeways it will vary between 60-110km.
For fully licensed car drivers the legal limit is 0.05 g/100ml. Australian Police are authorised to stop any vehicle and breath test the driver at any time
It is illegal to drive or ride a vehicle while using a hand-held mobile phone. It is also illegal to perform these activities when your vehicle is stopped but not parked, such as when you are waiting at traffi c lights. Th e penalty is a signifi cant fi ne.
It is recommended that for every two hours of driving you stop and rest for 15 minutes – distances between towns and cities may be far greaterthan you are accustomed.
Constantly be on the alert for dangerous situations and drive at a speed that suits the conditions. Watch for:
- Potholes and rough surfaces
- Soft or broken road edges
- Single lane bridges
- Road surfaces changing without notice
- Livestock or wildlife crossing the road (particularly near sunrise or near sunset)
- Very large trucks (road trains)