Plan a beautiful coastal drive between Sydney and Melbourne thathighlight so many beautiful beaches, national parks, and many seaside holiday resorts. There are so many beautiful locations that you will never be short of amazing things to do and spectacular sights to see on this trip.
A great way to explore this beautiful area is on a self-driven road trip where you will have the freedom to stop at any location you like on your schedule. You can even book a rental car for the same. This part of Australia is well-populated, and the roads are in good condition, so it is a pretty easy journey to do by yourself or with your family. So, what are you waiting for? Read our road trip itinerary carefully to make sure you do not miss out on any hidden gems along the way.
Melbourne to Sydney Drive Stops
Melbourne
Start your road trip journey across southeast Australia in the gorgeous multicultural city of Melbourne. It is the capital of the state of Victoria and is consistently listed as one of the world’s most livable cities. With lots of street art and many vibrant and quirky cafés, It is a popular city. One can spend days here exploring. Some of the top Melbourne attractions include Eureka Skydeck, Hosier Lane street art, and St Kilda Beach that are worth exploring.
Enjoy the vibrant night scene in Melbourne and have a few drinks at the city’s lively bars. You can also visit the many museums and art galleries to soak in a bit of culture.
Phillip Island
- Melbourne to Phillip Island: 142 km
- Time: 1 hrs 50 min
Next on your Melbourne to Sydney road trip itinerary is Phillip Island. Nestled just off the southern coast close to Melbourne, Phillip Island is famous for being a haven for local wildlife. This beautiful, rugged place is home to over 32,000 little penguins. The Phillip Island penguin parade is a well-known nightly event where these little critters emerge from the ocean at sunset to set up camp for the night.
Apart from thousands of penguins, you can also find huge populations of seals sunning themselves on the rocks. There are also rare birds, whales, and dolphins on the island waiting to be spotted.
Walhalla
- Phillip Island to Walhalla: 179.3 km
- Time: 2 hrs 22 min
Walhalla is one of the most interesting stops on the road trip from Melbourne to Sydney. Found in the Victorian countryside, It is an old gold mining town that was one of the richest places in Australia in the middle of the 19th century. During peak seasons, thousands lived and worked here, but now there is a resident population of around 20 people. It is a peaceful place, and it is easy to relax – but the town has also retained the charm of its golden era, and there is plenty to see.
Today, this town attracts tourists looking for something unique, and even locals have begun to reconstruct many of the old buildings, turning the town into an open-air museum.
Wilsons Promontory
- Walhalla to Wilsons Promontory: 176 km
- Tinme: 2 hrs 26 min
Wilsons Promontory, as it is known to the locals, located to the southeast of Melbourne, is a great place to spend a day or two, with plenty of great walks and beaches. This wedge of rugged land extends from the coast out into the ocean and is full of wildlife, granite mountains, and many hiking spots. The peninsula is a refuge to a national park as well as a marine reserve.
For nature and adventure lovers, it is the perfect stop close to Melbourne. Once here, make sure to check out the iconic Squeaky Beach, with its white sand, turquoise water, and granite boulders. Wilsons Promontory is the only township, which has camping, accommodation, and beautiful walking tracks in abundance.
Gippsland Lakes
- Wilsons Promontory to Gippsland Lakes: 248.2 km
- Time: 4 hrs 10 min
Next, drive along the coast to reach Gippsland Lakes. This spectacular destination is home to a vast network of lakes and lagoons that meet with the open ocean. Gippsland Lakes is a network of lakes, marshes, and lagoons and is the largest navigable inland water system in Australia. It is also a popular vacation spot because the lakes offer plenty of opportunities for water sports, and the beach is just meters away.
Fishing, hiking, and boating are some of the popular outdoor activities here. The coastal town of Lakes Entrance is the major tourist center here, which is worth exploring.
Eden
- Gippsland Lakes to Eden: 133 km
- Time: 1 hrs 40 min
After Gippsland Lakes, the next location on this coastal route is the beautiful town of Eden, a place that is as blissful as its name suggests. This coastal community is found in undeniably beautiful surroundings, and you can enjoy the best of what is known as the Sapphire Coast. This coastal town is one of the best whale-watching spots in Australia. You can also visit Lake Curalo and Aslings Beach and enjoy its wonderful serenity. You can even check out the lookouts on the Eden Rotary Walk too. Relax at the long beaches with turquoise waters, and learn more about the town’s unusual and friendly relationship with orcas at the local museum.
Narooma
- Eden to Narooma: 94 km
- Time: 1 hrs 29 min
Drive up the road from Eden to reach the equally beautiful coastal town of Narooma, a place famous for the quality of its oysters. Here you can enjoy the beautiful beaches and oceans, along with the unusual sight of Australia Rock. A natural gap in a large rock offers stunning views across the town. If you have some extra time to spare, take a boat across to Montague Island, a few miles off the shore, where you can find penguins and seals thriving in this protected area.
Sydney
- Narooma to Sydney: 348.7 km
- Time: 4 hrs 35 min
After a long drive of over 1,000 kilometers, you will find yourself in the capital of New South Wales and Australia’s largest city. Sydney is the final stop on your coastal drive itinerary. It is a beautiful city with over 100 beaches, great weather and so much to do. Here, you can enjoy the great mix of history and culture. Catch a live performance at the iconic Sydney Opera House, climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge for stunning views, do one of the many beautiful Sydney walks, relax on the busy beaches, and enjoy that laidback, classic Aussie lifestyle in the outdoors.