The_Hickory_Nuts

My wife and I and 9-year-old son will be in Australia June 28 - July 20. Our itinerary is planned except for the last leg of our trip which will be from Melbourne to Sydney. We would like to have suggestions as to the best route to take and attractions to see on the way. Coast road or mountain road? We have only three days for this part of the trip. J. W. M.

Daneille

I would take the coast road and I would try and stop twice. Once at Lakes Entrance and once at Eden or Batemans Bay. Which would fit your 3 days in nicely without a too stressful drive (the Eden to Sydney leg will be quite long however if you decide to stop there although Eden is gorgeous) The coast road takes in ocean and rainforest and is lovely. I am not up with school holidays but if these dates fall within them make sure you make accommodation bookings as having to drive straight through (as we did at Christmas) is no fun at all. Do not take the Hume Highway from Melbourne to Sydney - although it is the quickest way it is deadly boring and you will see absolutely nothing except the dog on the tuckerbox at Gundagai as most of the highway now bypasses all the towns on the way.

Pumblechook

I (almost) totally agree with Daneille. The Hume Hwy is deathly boring, although the most direct route. The coast road is a far better option if you have a couple of days.

Lakes Entrance is a good stop for the first night. Try to book a place on The Esplanade, which is across the road from the beach. We've stayed in the apartments (not the motel rooms) at the Abel Tasman and were very happy with them.

Eden is a good suggestion for your second night but here are a few others: Merimbula (coastal town like Eden but bigger and more to do); Batemans Bay (further north but beautiful unspoilt bushland right on the coast); Canberra (a bit of a zig zag off the coast road but it's the nation's capital and there's lots to see); or an alpine resort. You'll be here in the middle of winter. You could fit in a day at the snow if you wanted to without wandering too far off course.

Enjoy your stay.

The_Hickory_Nuts

Thanks Pumblechook and Daneille for this helpful information. It is greatly appreciated. Do you know how far it is using the coastal route from Melbourne to Sydney?

Daneille

According to a website I found
Melb to Sydney on the Princes/Pacific Hwy (the coast road) is 656 miles (or 1058 kms). The road itself is winding and single lane for much of the way. I would be travelling it during daylight hourse only. My husband and I drove straight through at Christmas, in pouring rain and made it home at 1am. This was not fun.

KayF

There is an excellent section called Map Maker on www.travelmate.com.au which shows the mileage, route, things to see along the way etc. Just key in your start and finish destination.
Kay

IanH

The Hume Highway can be boring, but I'm thinking about your 9 year old... I'd be tempted to incude a day at Sovereign Hill (Ballarat) - Rutherglen and Beechworth are also nice diversions but I'd make the middle day the BIG drive. It's about 7 and a half hours to Canberra so maybe leave Ballarat late afternoon on Day 1 and get a couple of hours behind you. Yes, Canberra - lots of excellent non-boring (and mostly free) attractions - Parliament House,Australian Museum, War Memorial, Questacon) and now you're three hours from Sydney. Personal crusade here - to get people to take five minutes to get off the exzpressway by-pass and drop into country towns occasionally. Gundagai, for example, has more than the Dog on the Tuckerbox - old gaol, Rusconi's Marble Masterpiece (he also did the Dog), the Gabriel Collection, heritage bridges, court house, Captain Moonlite's grave (and a couple of graves nearby of police killed by bushrangers), gold mining history, Autralia's worst flood tragedy etc. And there's a McDonalds! Also the 'slow' trip through the Southern Highlands is rewarding - Moss Vale, Bowral, Mittagong, Berrima...