Your Itinerary
Five scenic legs, each with plenty of time for coffee stops, galleries and wildlife.
A
Leg 1: Sydney – Jervis Bay
3 hrs drive · 240 km
Depart Sydney and travel south via Royal National Park, the worlds second oldest and Grand Pacifi c Drive to Wollongong. Enjoy the breathtaking coastal scenery, cross Sea Cliff Bridge and stop off at one of the delightful coastal villages along the way for coff ee. Continue to Jervis Bay which is well known for its dolphin population. Th e beaches that frame the bay’s turquoise waters are famous for their white sand. Explore the beaches of Huskisson and Booderee National Park, visit the Lady Denman Heritage Complex or relax at your overnight accommodation.
B
Leg 2: Jervis Bay – Tilba Tilba / Bermagui
2.5 hrs drive · 200 km
Depart Sydney and travel south via Royal National Park, the worlds second oldest and Grand Pacifi c Drive to Wollongong. Enjoy the breathtaking coastal scenery, cross Sea Cliff Bridge and stop off at one of the delightful coastal villages along the way for coff ee. Continue to Jervis Bay which is well known for its dolphin population. Th e beaches that frame the bay’s turquoise waters are famous for their white sand. Explore the beaches of Huskisson and Booderee National Park, visit the Lady Denman Heritage Complex or relax at your overnight accommodation.
C
Leg 3: Tilba Tilba / Bermagui – Gipsy Point
3 hrs drive · 220 km
Aft er breakfast at your guesthouses continue south via Bermagui to the Tathra coastal road. Take a morning tour of Mimosa Rocks National Park and stop in at Ivy Hill and Narek galleries. Have lunch on the beachfront at Tathra and sample local produce at the Tathra Pickle Factory before heading back to the highway at Merimbula. Visit the Eden Killer Whale Museum then continue on across the border into Victoria, to Mallacoota & Gipsy Point. Explore the turquoise waters of the Mallacoota inlet and the shimmering lakes and rivers of Croajingolong National Park.
D
Leg 4: Gipsy Point – Metung
3 hrs drive · 240 km
Aft er breakfast, feed the sea eagles on a morning boat trip from Gipsy Point. Travel out to Cape Conran Coastal Park and Marlo, where the Snowy River meets the sea. Lunch at Lakes Entrance where there are many seafood restaurants to choose from. Take the bridge across the broadwater to 90 mile beach. At Nungurner watch a glassblower and silversmith at work, then browse the gallery for originals. Arrive at Metung in time for a boardwalk stroll around Lake King, part of the Gippsland Lakes, Australia’s largest inland waterway system.
E
Leg 5: Metung – Melbourne
4 hrs drive · 300 km
Aft er breakfast, feed the sea eagles on a morning boat trip from Gipsy Point. Travel out to Cape Conran Coastal Park and Marlo, where the Snowy River meets the sea. Lunch at Lakes Entrance where there are many seafood restaurants to choose from. Take the bridge across the broadwater to 90 mile beach. At Nungurner watch a glassblower and silversmith at work, then browse the gallery for originals. Arrive at Metung in time for a boardwalk stroll around Lake King, part of the Gippsland Lakes, Australia’s largest inland waterway system.
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
Sydney
Royal National Park & Grand Pacific Drive
B
240 km
Jervis Bay
3hr drive
C
200 km
Tilba Tilba / Bermagui
2.5hrs drive
D
220 km
Gipsy Point
3 hrs drive
E
240 km
Metung
3 hrs drive
F
300 km
Melbourne
4 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)