If you need food or coffee, you will find the standard McDonalds, Olivers or KFC but many of the fuel stations had a wide range of hot and cold food as well as diners to feed the hungry. It had 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a pool, trampoline and kids toys. This part of the Murray River and Hume Highway could be a destination all of its with plenty to see and do across both Albury and Wodonga. If you travel via (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? A softUsvista Inc. venture! Take it easy and dont speed. Should you be looking for some food, snacks or anything else for that matter, you will also find an assortment of cafes and restaurants along the main road. Holiday homes are popular for long stays, but Ill recommend some easier options here. For the purposes of this, let's assume we're travelling north, doing the Melbourne to Sydney drive. Keep right onto Hume Highway, M31 1h33mn. Two very solid days of driving. Many of the bushwalks inland from the coast will get you up close with some Australian wildlife (I saw some koalas on the track I took). FAQ => What is there to do on the Gold Coast? Overnight: we stayed in a 2 bedroom apartment near the sea atSmugglers on the beach. I would suggest trying to extend for a night or two, though, and spend a whole day in at least one of the stops perhaps Metung, Mallacoota, or Jervis Bay. If you're planning a road trip to Gold Coast, you can research locations to stop along the way. To put this in perspective, Edinburgh to Istanbul is 2,280 km and New York City to Los Angeles is 2,780 km. Read more in our Gold Coast Airport Guide. I don't mind driving either, I have a huge tolerance for patience. to each other and sharing tips and advice. In total, this coastal route between Melbourne and Sydney is 1200 kilometres long and will take a total of about 15 hours driving. You can also find the flight distance or distance to fly from Melbourne to Gold Coast via hume highway, Melbourne. Both have their advantages and, if you have time (or are driving between Melbourne and Sydney in both directions) then you can try both routes. But, if you do want to stick to the coast, then the alternative option for day 1 is to drive down to Wilsons Promontory instead. Some only 5 km apart but many only 20 to 30 km. Put your cruise control on if there is no traffic in front of you and you'll be less tempted to plant the foot, same deal with the inevitable roadworks and driving at 100/110 km/h in general. If anything, avoid being around the central coast heading south on a Sunday afternoon, because that'll be more drama than NorthConnex/M7 likely will. Depending on the vehicle you choose to travel, you can calculate the amount of CO2 emissions from your vehicle and assess the environment impact. Operated by NSW TrainLink XPT and NSW TrainLink, the Melbourne to Queensland service departs from Southern Cross and arrives in Brisbane. Thankyou for any advice. Yes, even this step is optional, because if you're on vacation There are 24 hr fuel stations just out of Melbourne and Sydney where you can fill up to begin your trip. So pack up the car and hit the road. This section could be endless, so rather than trying to Rob, you don't go through (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Its along this stretch of coast that youll find most of Queenslands natural wonders, plus the scenery between them is beautiful. Or tkae it more slowly in a kayak or on a stand up paddle board. On the Albury side of the river, I would suggest that you look at either The Cottage Motor Inn, Astor Motel or the Atura Albury depending on your budget and how long you are planning on staying. If you have Bluetooth, have a list of people you can chat to on the boring highway stretches. Youll even be able to taste a few of the local fresh oysters in a beautiful natural surrounding. Which beach to stay in Gold Coast with an injury? Im assuming that youre doing the coastal route between Melbourne and Sydney because you want to see the sights along the way, rather than just get between the two cities. We drove up to the summit of North Brother Mountain to see the scenic views from the three lookout platforms. In this road trip itinerary, the drive goes along the coast. The top stops along the way from Brisbane to Melbourne (with short detours) are Sydney Opera House, Bondi to Coogee Walk, and Surfers Paradise Beach. It has glistening white beaches, high cliffs, and crystal clear water for swimming. Where to find dinosaur footprints in Broome best place, The most amazing Broome Horizontal Falls Day Trip full review, Best Budget Broome itinerary unique things to do in Broome, Ultimate Broome to Darwin Tour find out what to expect, Visiting Etosha National Park, Namibia- a love of wildlife, Camping Baw Baw NP- Crossing the Thompson Dam. The Newell Highway Promotions Committee welcomes you to our premier touring route and invites you to explore the unique towns, iconic attractions & communities along our Highway. Could then possibly continue on to Moree by evening and book into one of the motels that have the artisan bore baths. It is one of Australias best national parks and a very popular destination for people from Melbourne particularly during school holidays. We also took some smaller country roads which are difficult to drive on and stay alert. However, due to some ingenuity from Holbrooks locals, you are now free to walk around and explore the submarine, which is now parked in a field (well, at the least the top half of it is). There are 6 ways to get from Hume Highway Reserve, Hume Hwy to Gold Coast by train, plane, tram, bus or car. That takes about ten hours of driving but its not particularly scenic. drive for about 2 hours, 12:10 pm Coffs Harbour Because of that, we normally take the Newel Highway. After leaving Goulburn and stopping at the North Brother lookout, we arrived in Port Macquarie by late afternoon. If you are limited for time or just aren't interested in seeing anything along the way, then the Hume highway is the best option. Distance from Melbourne to Gold Coast via Newell Highway, Gunnedah! Overnight: We had booked a night in a 2 bedroom apartment at Beaches Holiday Resortwhich is opposite Flynns beach. That said, my gut still tells me the Newell is better option and to give Sydney the widest berth as is possible. Our next stop was a coffee break in Holbrook, where we saw the HMAS Otway Submarine. For more information, Ive got a story about things to do at Wilsons Prom. Thank you for supporting us. With apartments of different sizes, Gowings of Mallacoota is great for families or longer-stay visitors wholl appreciate the amenities. Click the button below to explore more questions It's a lot of driving. Have done overnighters at Goulburn, Campbelltown, Newcastle on the first night. I would recommend a coffee or lunch at theFozigobble Cafe,which has organic food and a lovely garden at the front. There were way more rest stops than fuel stops. Find out more about me here: Ned Kellys Last Stand at the Glenrowan Tourist Centre. For a one week stay, each couple paid aus$700 and we had the added bonus of a large living space, private pool and a kitchen to prepare meals. Day 1: Melbourne to Walhalla Option: Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory Day 2: Walhalla to Metung Day 3: Metung to Mallacoota Day 4: Mallacoota to Narooma Day 5: Narooma to Jervis Bay Day 6: Jervis Bay to Sydney. Practicalities. 27 mins), (2 hrs Don't forget about exploring your own hometown with a staycation. Moree is a very long way to drive in one day, and IMHO it is a bit of a hole. most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. There arent many stops along the way but youll probably want to get to todays destination of Croajingalong National Park early anyway, so you can make the most of your time. Trip Itinerary - Newell Highway Drive from Melbourne to Brisbane Day 1 Total Travel = 6 hours 25 minutes Day 2 Total Travel = 7 hours Day 3 Total Travel = 5 hours 25 minutes Trip Highlights - Newell Highway Drive from Melbourne to Brisbane Two lanes might be enough to keep the traffic moving, but get a moron who insists on cruising in the right lane without overtaking and the drive becomes a little testing. The biggest town youll pass through is Warragul, which is full of 19th century heritage and also has an impressive collection of art galleries. Map from Melbourne to Gold Coast via Newell Highway, Gunnedah Total Driving Distance Travelled is 1746 Km Driving Distance 1746 Driving Time 19 hrs 36 mins Flight Distance 1345 Flight Time 2 hrs 10 mins Directions Go! 20/11/2020. Ive got more details in my story about things to do in Jervis Bay. Its also home to the only Aboriginal-owned botanic gardens in the country. The Newell has been receiving a lot of upgrades lately, more overtaking lanes etc. Botanic Gardens, Albury Albury's Gardens might not be as unusual as the other stopping points on this list, but they are a great place to take a breather when driving the Hume Highway. The Coast Road via the A1, also known as the Princes Highway and the famous Grand Pacific Drive or the inland route via the M31, the Hume Highway. As a part of the Hume Highway, the road was signed as National Route 31 in 1954. . It took us just short of a week to drive there. At the top, the pier extends out over the edge of the lookout, providing views of the coastline. Dooragan National Park is about 40 km from Port Macquarie. That goes into M2 and then into the tunnel and M1. Our kids got on OK with a laptop and a DVD player to keep them occupied. Driving from Melbourne to Sydney by car is not the most scenic route either. Just a few meters down from the monument is a much more modern complex with a service station (another Shell) as well as a couple of fast-food restaurants (KFC, Subway and a couple of local vendors). I like the long drives particularly when I know the alternative is being at work! The Jervis Bay accommodation is quite spread out, although theres a lot around Huskisson and Vincentia. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109307548', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Sydney and a bit less from Sydney to Surfers Paradise. The Dog on the Tucker Box has been an icon of the road trip since 1926. These roadside toilet stops were frequent in many areas. I would recommend you walk to Squeaky Beach, which got its name because of the sound the sand makes when you walk on it. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. You could also hike up to the top of Mount Oberon. It also avoids Sydney :). If you're going to stop early, then you might as well stop somewhere between the ACT and Sydney. For example, here are some questions people have asked about Gold Coast. For a significant part of the New South Wales and Victorian border, the Murray River acts as the natural divider between the two states. Advice i give you is to go easy on your car. Stay overnight in the Dubbo - Coonabarabran section. A Queenslander might suggest a better alternate route. Spoke to my dad and he said we used to drive from Melbourne to Goondiwindi every year then Gold Coast from there. Or, if you want to get a bit more driving in before you stop, then Thirroul is a excellent option for a stop. It also passes through the Murray River towns of Albury and Wodonga developed when paddlesteamer trade along the river was the only way of marketing the bounties of the riverland soils. Popular search terms by destination. (Although new trains are coming in 2023, which look much better!). No big detours. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 2:27 pmdrive for about 5 hours, 7:22 pm Port Macquarie Continue with Recommended Cookies. It's okay, you can start planning your I have done both but for a leisurely trip also done the Princes to Sydney. Regardless, this is a wonderful way to see this part of Australia and the beautiful southeastern coast. Make sure you check road conditions Pop into the East Gippsland Art Gallery for a bit of culture and dont miss the striking murals in St Marys church. Its also worth taking a ride on the Walhalla Goldfields Railway, a charming heritage train that crosses a series of bridges before reaching its destination 20 minutes later, before heading back. 1683km via the Newell which is about 200km shorter than the coast. If youve got a bit of time, you could do for a bushwalk in the Clyde River National Park, or rent a kayak for a paddle up the Clyde River. The Bean Scene has great coffee, or you can pick up some supplies at Stellas Pantry. Youll see signs to let you know they are in the area so slow down and avoid any hefty fines. Its 17hrs Mel to the GC. One of the best things to do in Narooma is a trip to Montague Island, which is home to hundreds of friendly seals. Roughly two hours drive south of Sydney, the Big Merino is the first big thing on the drive down to Melbourne. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the The wildlife. The biggest town youll pass through today is Batemans Bay, which is certainly a good place to stop, with a large range of cafes and restaurants for lunch. p.parentNode.insertBefore(s,p);
The park also features a small museum and a few other Naval displays. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, This year we plan on going on the Newell. You can also try a different route while coming back by adding multiple destinations. One of the trips is during the day, and the other is overnight. Backpack vs Suitcase | Which Is Better For Your Travels. Also long stretches are single lane, so if u r stuck behind a slow moving vehicle, and u r on a stretch that does not permit overtaking, that will slow u down. But soon youll reach the southern edge of Sydney and begin to make your way through the suburbs. You're probably already aware, but just in case you aren't: this is an incredibly boring drive. Because of that, we normally take the Newel Highway. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109307805', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Sydney anymore. Theres also plenty of heritage and cultural attractions on the drive from Brisbane to Cairns, and youre going to miss most of them if you just fly between the two cities, or dont take the time to stop regularly along the way. The main area in Wilsons Promontory is Tidal River, where youll find a shop and many of the camping sites (and a few other accommodation options). We crawled along with the traffic to get into town, spotting a couple of backpackers trying to hitchhike in the opposite direction. Yes, all in the one (in-adequately sized) car. So why not check out this comprehensive guide that youll find handy if its your first trip to the city. After checking-in, we went for a walk up the road that sat above the beach. Thanks in adavance. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Melbourne and Brisbane are two of Australia's largest cities in the east, and it's easy to travel the 1040 miles (1674 km) between them. Check our. An easy pull out for fuel and more coffee. You can book your motels online via phone but try and do it by 4 pm once you've made up your mind about which town you'll reasonably get to by tea time or so: I got away with booking at 6 pm or later sometimes on my trip but that was in early November, early January with school holidays might be a different story. open-ended. If you were to drive, the cost of petrol would be at least double that. Don't book ahead, watch for roadside discount signs from 4pm onwards. Heres what to expect from driving Melbourne to Sydney. You can read my story about the Pambula oyster tour. A decommissioned Royal Australian Navy Submarine that had been destined to be turned into scrap metal. Give yourself at least 3 days. Note: Even though most people do the inland drive via Hume Highway within one day, because there's not as much to stop at . Overnight: After more than 9 hours of driving, we stopped in Goulburn and stayed the night in a 2-bedroom apartment at the Best Western hotel. Sovereign Hill History & heritage Strike it rich with a day out in 1850s Ballarat and pan for gold, ride in a horse-drawn carriage and relive the Eureka Rebellion with sound and light. The old Hume Highway route, also known as Sydney Road (State Route 55), takes you all the way into the city. To find the return map from Melbourne to Gold Coast via Newell Highway, Gunnedah, begin with entering start and end locations in calculator control and click on Show Return Map. Not only were sections a goat track but there were 4 or 5 ferry crossings over rivers. -updated August 2019- Melbourne to Gold Coast Map Alternative is to take Hume/Pacific and turn off just south of Coffs onto the Orara Way. If you need to go faster, any of the stops could be skipped and that days drive would still be manageable. Welcome to the enormous Croajingalong National Park, which stretches for more than 100 kilometres along the coast. How much shorter is it from Melbourne to Nerang going that way Luigi? The only downside is that I always get the first stint in the morning because my wife goes back to sleep that early in the morning. 15 years ago, in December, I loaded up a Holden Commodore with the spouse, 2 young daughters and then 75 year old dad and meandered North along the Hume Highway from Melbourne to Sydney & onwards to Brisbane via the Princes Hwy. What are fun things to do with a family on Australia's Gold Coast? The short drive up winds through forest and passed banana plantations. I think this itinerary offers a lovely mix of bush and beach, with national parks, wildlife experiences, and some heritage. If you are limited for time or just arent interested in seeing anything along the way, then the Hume highway is the best option. This route will be significantly slower if you are travelling before the end of the school holidays in early February. The drive time each day is also quite short in this itinerary, and thats intentional. But this means there are lots of places to stop, things to do, and towns where you can stay overnight. Day 1 : Melbourne hume highway Melbourne Gold Coast. Katoomba (11 answers) Want to plan the trip back? Although, if you are going to hit Pennant Hills Road and you are anywhere near peak hour you might want to stop before you get to Sydney. Ive never stayed overnight, but if youre going to, I would suggest stopping at Newcastle. A large site with a pool, playground and water access, Jervis Bay Holiday Park is a perfect option for families and casual holidays. Make sure you check out my blog posts about the PacificHighway and Sturt Highway as well. trip dates & more! 3.7 km. Ballina (Australia) (3 answers). Just keep in mind that the Big Merino gift shop operates in more traditional business hours so if youre on the road early you might need to save this one for the trip back. If you'd like to make a scenic slow tour of it go the Princes Highway over three days and two nights. Melbourne to Gold Coast drive driving / 3 days Melbourne to Gold Coast road trip planner Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Melbourne to Gold Coast. Nearby Merimbula also makes for a lovely rest. The drive home from Gold Coast to Melbourne was harder as we didnt have time to make stops. I managed to leave my camera at the apartment so didnt get any photos. A dusty corner on the internet where you can chew the fat about Australia and Australians. Narooma is a wonderful coastal town and youll immediately see why its such a popular holiday destination. It was a weekend and the place was packed. For food in Metung, I would definitely suggest eating at theMetung Hotelfor dinner andBancroft Bitesfor breakfast. Known by locals as Rambo, it features a wool exhibition on the second floor, while the ground floor is a gift shop selling souvenirs and locally made products. Its one of the most interesting natural locations in Australia but, for some reason, gets a limited number of tourists. I can remember the cruise control would be set to 125 the whole way, just enough not to lose your licence. You can also hire a little motorboat from them and drive yourself around, pulling into the small bays, powering across the lakes, and stopping at the beach. Check, (29 hrs Melbourne to Newell Highway Route via Newell Highway, Gunnedah. Two drivers done in a single day leaving at 3am. A coastal town with a hippie-chic vibe, Byron Bay is Australias Easternmost town. Leaving Melbourne, the first station is 30km after Epping. Although I think the quieter community of Gipsy Point is actually a nicer place to stay, if youre looking for something less busy. It gave us the opportunity to stop off and see some great places. And at Glenrowan and several stations roughly 80-150km out of Melbourne. A wonderful part of Jervis Bay is Booderee National Park, which is one of just a handful of national parks administered by the Federal Government (like Kakadu National Park). The plan so far is to stop at West Wyalong on the first night and then Moree the second. 2 is possible but not advisable. because there's an entire community of travelers talking If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109307779', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Sydney is ~45mins quicker than the Newell Hwy, even though the Newell is only 5km further in comparison (to Nerang). Continuing up the New South Wales South Coast, youll start to go through some slightly larger towns with even more developed tourism infrastructure. The roads are OK, and there should be less traffic. Travel questions & answers. Trippy is where A short little detour off the Hume Highway, this little town features a history of Australian Naval Submarining that you can find out all about when you get there. The Cape Byron Lighthouse sits close to the countrys Easternmost point. If you haven't done it before plan as if 3 days of driving. Earlier this year, at the start of March, we drove from Melbourne to the Gold Coast. Probably 8 hours driving time plus stops. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Pretty manageable, especially if you enjoy the drive. As is the open plains zoo at Dubbo. Theres a supermarket in Meeniyan or you could ask Marty at Moos to fix you up a dinner pack to cook on the barbeque (thats what I did). Drive time: about 3.5 hours. swimming with the seals at Montague Island, Coastal itinerary for a Melbourne to Sydney drive. The shortest way to drive from Melbourne to Sydney is up the Hume Highway through Albury and Goulburn. stay overnight and leave the next day around 10:00 am, 10:00 am leave from Port Macquarie ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109307163', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Gold coast from Melbourne but think we should give the coast road a go now it's improved so much. They go in convoys at 103 kph, and there's a lot of single lane. Pacific Highway used to be a goat track many years ago and downright dangerous in many sections. Todays drive is one of the prettiest of the whole trip, with lush Australian bush along both sides of the road for most of the way, as you cut through national parks and state forests. Don't drive through Sydney. It's better to take three days under any circumstances. You could just power through until the end, but there are still some wonderful things to see along this stretch. My map says 1698km via the newell and 1713km via the Hume and pacific hwy. 2.0 km. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 5:02 pmdrive for about 2 hours, 6:55 pm Yass About 3 hours drive from Coffs Harbour and just over an hour from Surfers Paradise is the town of Byron Bay. Another popular drive goes inland between the coast and the Hume Highway, through the Snowy Mountains. Yass How about a submarine parked in a field? (function(){window.mc4wp=window.mc4wp||{listeners:[],forms:{on:function(evt,cb){window.mc4wp.listeners.push({event:evt,callback:cb});}}}})(); Your email address will not be published. There are 8 ways to get from Gold Coast to Dubbo by plane, train, bus or car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Start at 4:30 to 5am, 2 drivers, overnight in Gilgandra. Closer to Metung, another good rest spot is Bairnsdale, which quite a few people actually use as a base when they visit the Gippsland Lakes (so there are lots of shops here, if you need to stock up on anything). Best to go up the Newell. Planning on making the trip to Brisbane or Adelaide instead? Caravaners will give you the shits. It was a multi-generational road trip, I was about 4 months pregnant and we were meeting my husbands parents on the Gold Coast, where we would all be staying in the same house. On the outskirts of town, Stringers Cottage is a compact self-contained property thats full of charm and authentic heritage. Great busy work! The destination for today is the Gippsland Lakes, the largest navigable inland water system in Australia. Cities Distance; You know that Google is notoriously unreliable Yarramar. The coastline is quite spectacular and you can access its beaches from quite a few places off Betka Road, just south of Mallacoota. Find the best spots to stop on the Hume Highway, including the towns of Goulburn, Gundagai, Holbrook, Albury and Glenrown. A good place to stop on the drive from Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory is Meeniyan. The first part of todays drive will just be getting out of Melbourne, through the citys southeastern suburbs. In a relaxing site amongst the gum trees, Bay and Bush Cottages has a series of cool unique accommodation options. We filled up just out of Melbourne and that got us to Sydney easy with a long range fuel tank. It's technically quicker to go from Melbourne to GC via Sydney but you can lose any savings simply because Sydney can be shit. The highway goes through some of the regions towns and bypasses some of them, but there are plenty of quaint places to stop for a coffee along the way, including Warragul, Yarragon, and Moe. New South Wales was where we saw the most highway patrol. A softUsvista Inc. venture! However, if you are looking for something nicer to eat, Id actually recommend stopping just before Gundagai at a small town called Jugiong. Its a perfect place for a holiday because the lakes offer plenty of opportunity for water sport, while the beach is just metres away. Do you want a map that gives you the probable stopping points and halfway point of your journey? Just after Moruya, youll reach Mogo Wildlife Park, which is famous for its work in breeding endangered animals. The Koala image is one that fits the region well as it has a large involvement in the animals habitation and conservation, with a Koala hospital located in Port Macquarie. However dont fret if you do need to stop, for petrol or food. Newell Highway Distancs Use the calculator or tables provided below to obtain a guide of times and distances between towns and cities along the Newell Highway. An interesting stop to help break up the trip down the Hume Highway. You can also find the distance from Melbourne to Gold Coast via hume highway, Melbourne using other travel options like bus, subway, tram, train and rail. Don't go through Sydney. Down the side streets, the chocolate shop and the tea shop are both very popular. Ulladulla also has good food options but if youre looking for somewhere to eat around there, I would actually suggest continuing on to Milk Haus near Milton, where youll find a converted farmhouse with excellent coffee and meals. Just keep in mind that the Long Track Pantry is closed on Tuesdays. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-109307216', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Sydney. By the time you stop for fuel and rest breaks, expect to allow at least 10 hours. Imagine sailing on a lake one day, hanging out with kangaroos the next. Purchasing through them earns us a small commission and costs you no extra. more. Then continue on to spend the afternoon . Its about 1000 kilometres long and takes about 13 hours of driving. Rhys Vandersyde | August 11, 2022March 27, 2021. The bakery is open from 5:30am and its a great place to get some breakfast and a coffee to get you started in the morning. I've done the drive a few times, and my personal observations and experiences are such: I disliked the Newell, cos u constantly have to slow down to 80 then 50 as u hit and leave towns.