"NSW - VIC - NSW Road Trip Itinerary " a State of New South Wales Travel Page by pedroswift

Often asked on VT. "I'm driving from Melbourne to Sydney via the coast road. What's to see?"
Here is our itinerary for such a trip (in winter '07) plus the legs to get there and back from Brisbane by road.

Layout: Town of Overnight Stop is in bold type. Distance of day's drive in kms { in brackets} Intermediate stopping places. then Name of Hotel or Motel. Dining places with rating out of 10 if worthy of a rating.

Brisbane Depart dawn. Coffee at Warwick.Newell highway. Scores of dead kangaroos & a couple of emus on road west of Warwick. Would not want to drive there too early or too late in the afternoon. outback driving tips see the kangaroo encrusted car!
Narrabri {600kms} Country Comfort Mid City. Visited Cotton Centre (worth a visit. see tip) Dine RSL Outback Shack ( see tip)
Narranderra {650kms} coffeestop Gilgandra Heritage Centre (worth a stop . see tip). Club Motel. Dined at RSL across the road – roast &vegs typical club food. Ok.
A couple of "big days" driving to start with but we had done this section more than once before and wanted to get south asap. If it's your first time, don't drive more than 500kms per day - take rest breaks often.

Healesville {500kms} Nagambie-Yea-Toolani. Yarra Gables Motel (see tip). Dined Healesville Hotel 9/10( see tip)
Healesville {local} Launching Place (see archery tip).TarraWarra Wines/Gallery/lunch good ( see tip). Dined Healesville Hotel
Balnaring {125kms} coffee Hastings.HMAS Cerebus. Box Stallion Wines lunch (impressive). Balnaring Village Motor inn. Dined La Porcetta Italian 7.5, Hastings.
Balnaring {local} coffee MtMartha.T’gallant Winery. Paringa Estate Winery. Merricks General Store for lunch -good. Stonier Wines (excellent). Dined at Long Table at Red Hill South 8.5 ( see tip).
Morwell {205kms}Western port, Wonthaggi, Inverloch, Mirboo North Brewery (very interesting see tip). Morwell Hotel-Motel Dined in Hotel not bad for pub-grub.
Morwell {local} conference Dine. RSL Morwell conference dinner.ok.
Bairnsdale {133kms}Sale Art gallery. Colonial best Western. Dined Mitchell River Tavern
Mallacoota {235kms}coffee Lakes Entrance. Malacoota Hotel-Motel Dined in Hotel(good pub grub)

Eden. {85kms} Eden Heritage walk (see tip).Lunch Wharf Café (see tip).Whalemuseum (see tip).TwoFoldBay Motel ( see all Eden tips) Dined Eden Fishermans Club (ok typical club meals)
Narooma {125kms}Pambula Beach.Merimbula coffee.Wharf. Bega Cheese factory for lunch (interesting) Tathra. Bermagui. Narooma Whale Motor Inn. Dined Whale Restaurant 8.5 ( see tips).
Ulladulla. {120kms}coffee at MosquitoBeach.Bateman's Bay. Royal Motel. Dined Harbourside Restaurant 8.5.( see tip).
Canberra {195kms} coffee Bateman's Bay. Lunch Braidwood.Bundengore.
Best Western Motel Narrabundah (suburb of Canberra). Dined in motel. Meal was very homely affair but great cooking 8/10. Love Canberra a must for all Australians. see my Canberra page.
Canberra {local} shop city centre.Aust.War Memorial-new Discovery Zone. Plus George Lambert war paintings. (see tips)
Lunch at the OutStation at memorial.(snacky stuff) walked Anzac Ave. Ataturk Memorial. National Art gallery George Lambert. Bastille Day - Dined Aubergine restaurant had pre-booked months ahead. Not disappointed 9/10 ( see tip)
Cowra {206kms} Kamberra Wine Co. bought sparklings. Too early for coffee - machine still cold. Coffee in Yass. Mulyan Garage Cellars Wines. Purchased some wine. La Vita Restaurant. Lunch. Info centre 9min show on breakout. Japanese garden. Japanese& Aust. Cemeteries. BreakOut Motel. Dined hotel other end of main street (ok)
Orange {104kms} coffee at Taste of Canowindra. Very interesting- purchased local products. Age of Fishes Museum.(worth a stop) Cudal to Orange. lunch at Union Bank (Balgravia Wines). stayed Templers Mill Motel. Dined at Union Bank 9/10. lunch was so good had to go back..
Mudgee {178kms} Mt Candobolas (snow). Lucknow. Horatio Motel Mudgee. Elliot Rocke Estate Wines. Oatley Wines(Craigmore). Dined at Eltons restaurant in town .ok . 7.5
Inglewood {613kms} Gulgong. Dunedoo.Coonabarabran(coffee). Narrabri.(lunch) no rooms in Goodiwindi. Booked Inglewood Motel & drove despite not wanting to drive this section at dusk because of roo problem.. lucky - no problem. Dined Inglewood Hotel. Steak on the public bar: shared bottle of red with local forestry bloke. Good pub-grub.
Brisbane {280kms} Aratula coffee & cake. Arrived home 1230.

Tip: Looking for internet access while travelling in NSW?? Try the local public library. Can be free or small charge for use.