The south-east coast from Sydney to Melbourne, then the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians: about 2,000 km, all sealed, in a hire car over two and a half weeks, with 2 to 4 hours of driving per stage. Less travelled than the east coast up to Cairns, it strings together Jervis Bay, kangaroos on the beaches, whales off Eden, the penguins of Phillip Island and the cliffs of the Twelve Apostles.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 2 | Sydney | Start |
| Day 3 | Huskisson (Jervis Bay) | 185 km · 2h50 |
| Day 4 | Narooma | 175 km · 2h40 |
| Day 5 | Eden | 129 km · 1h50 |
| Day 6 | Lakes Entrance | 241 km · 3h05 |
| Days 7 to 8 | Tidal River (Wilsons Promontory) | 288 km · 4h |
| Day 9 | Cowes (Phillip Island) | 146 km · 2h10 |
| Day 10 | Lorne | 245 km · 4h30 |
| Day 11 | Port Campbell | 145 km · 2h05 |
| Days 12 to 13 | Halls Gap (Grampians) | 206 km · 2h55 |
| Days 14 to 15 | Melbourne | 253 km · 3h10 |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
September to November and March to May: mild temperatures, lower prices and humpback whales off the south coast (peak in September and October). Summer (December to February) is high season, the most expensive, with days of extreme fire danger that close parks and roads; winter is cool and wet on the Victorian side.
🚗 185 km · 2h50 of driving from Sydney
Toll-free exit south via the Princes Highway, then the Grand Pacific Drive through the Royal National Park and over the Sea Cliff Bridge.
🚗 175 km · 2h40 of driving from Huskisson
Princes Highway (A1) via Ulladulla and Batemans Bay, often two lanes with no divider: kangaroos by the roadside at dusk.
🚗 129 km · 1h50 of driving from Narooma
Princes Highway (A1) via Central Tilba, Bega and Merimbula, through pasture and forest; a short stage.
🚗 241 km · 3h05 of driving from Eden
Princes Highway (A1) via Cann River and Orbost: a long forest crossing into Victoria, with few fuel stations. Fill up in Eden.
🚗 288 km · 4h of driving from Lakes Entrance
Princes Highway via Sale, South Gippsland Highway then the C444. No fuel at Tidal River: fill up in Yanakie.
🚗 146 km · 2h10 of driving from Tidal River
Back along the C444 and the South Gippsland Highway, then the Bass Highway and the San Remo bridge.
🚗 245 km · 4h30 of driving from Cowes
Mornington Peninsula and the Sorrento-Queenscliff ferry (40 minutes, car on board), or a detour through Melbourne and its tolls.
🚗 145 km · 2h05 of driving from Lorne
The winding Great Ocean Road (B100) to Apollo Bay, then the Otway forest: no overtaking, use the pull-over bays to let others pass.
🚗 206 km · 2h55 of driving from Port Campbell
End of the Great Ocean Road, then farm roads to Dunkeld and the Grampians Road; plenty of kangaroos at dusk.
🚗 253 km · 3h10 of driving from Halls Gap
Western Highway (A8 then M8) via Ararat and Ballarat, then the M80 Ring Road. CityLink toll only to enter the centre.
In 8 days, keep to the Victorian section as a loop from Melbourne: Phillip Island (1 night), Lorne via the ferry (1), Port Campbell (1), Halls Gap (2) and Melbourne (2). The New South Wales coast, from Sydney to Eden, needs 5 to 6 more days on its own.
| Small car, Sydney, annual average | ≈ €24 a day (Kayak, Sept. 2026) |
|---|---|
| Small car, Sydney, June | ≈ €19 a day |
| All categories, Sydney, December | ≈ €46 a day |
| Small car, Melbourne, average | ≈ €25 a day |
| SUV, Melbourne, average | ≈ €53 a day |
| One way Sydney-Melbourne | One-way fees vary: compare the total price |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: the whole route is sealed. Campervans can also be hired one way. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | Sydney airport or city centre, drop-off at Melbourne Airport (Tullamarine). |
| Insurance | High excess by default; excess reduction, windscreen and tyre cover sold as options. |
| Banned by the contract | Unsealed roads, beaches, fords, the ferry to Tasmania; Phillip Island allowed. |
| Age and card | Minimum age 21, surcharge under 25; credit card in the driver's name, no prepaid cards. |
| Tolls | Plate read or rental company tag: tolls recharged with a service fee per trip. |
⚠️ A licence not written in English is not enough on its own: without an International Driving Permit or an English translation, the rental company can refuse to hand over the car.
Licence not written in English: International Driving Permit or translation required, for up to 6 months.
Right-hand drive, overtake on the right. Roundabouts run clockwise, with priority to vehicles already on them.
50 km/h in town where unsigned, 110 on some expressways, 40 outside schools at the times shown.
Zero for learner and probationary licences, including foreign ones in Victoria. Frequent random breath tests.
Animals are hard to see at sunrise and sunset. Brake, but never swerve.
Stages of 2 to 4 hours here, but long forest roads: share the driving and arrive before dark.
Calls, music and GPS only; any other use is banned, even when stopped at traffic lights.
Sydney and Melbourne: plate read by camera. Use the rental company or a Linkt pass, otherwise an invoice with fees.
Above 80 km/h, the right-hand lane is only for overtaking or turning right.
Parks and sites close on those days; check Live Traffic NSW, VicTraffic and VicEmergency.
≈ €1.39 a litre of unleaded (AU$2.24 on 21 September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 2,013 km at 9 l per 100 km: about €250 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
National average. No fuel station at Tidal River: fill up in Yanakie. Stations are far apart between Eden and Orbost: fill up in Eden.
| Sydney Harbour Bridge and Harbour Tunnel | AU$2.76 to AU$4.41, southbound only (since 1 July 2026) |
|---|---|
| Other Sydney motorways (M5, M8, M2) | Electronic; toll-free exit south via the Princes Highway |
| CityLink, Melbourne | AU$3.33 to AU$12.51 per trip (April to June 2026); 24-hour pass AU$24 |
| Paying afterwards in Melbourne | Linkt pass: CityLink trips covered up to 5 days later |
| Unpaid toll notices in New South Wales | Administration fees scrapped since July 2026 (the rental company keeps its own) |
| Royal National Park | AU$12 per vehicle per day |
| Booderee (Jervis Bay) | AU$20 per vehicle, one-day pass |
| Murramarang (Pebbly Beach) and Beowa (south of Eden) | AU$8 per vehicle per day |
| Sorrento-Queenscliff ferry | Car fare on searoad.com.au; check in 40 minutes before departure |
| Penguin Parade (Phillip Island) | Free parking, paid entry ticket |
| Access road to Wilsons Promontory | Roadworks with alternating traffic, 31 August to 20 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Big Drift and Stockyard car park (Wilsons Prom) | Closed for works, reopening expected mid-October 2026 |
| MacKenzie Falls and Fish Falls (Grampians) | Closed on days of extreme or catastrophic fire danger |
| The Fortress (western Grampians) | Closed since the fires of summer 2024-2025 |
| Royal National Park | Open 07:00 to 20:30, closed in high fire danger |
| Great Ocean Road and Princes Highway | Occasional closures (fires, landslides, floods): VicTraffic, Live Traffic NSW |
Along the coast, with Phillip Island, the Great Ocean Road and the Grampians, allow 14 to 18 days: our itinerary has 15 nights and about 2,000 km, with 2 to 4 hours of driving per stage. The direct inland route, the Hume Highway, is about 870 km and can be done in one long day, without much of interest.
For 16 days in the southern spring or autumn: a small car at around €20 to €30 a day (Kayak, 2026), plus one-way fees. Estimated fuel: 160 litres at AU$2.24, about AU$360 (€220) at September 2026 prices. Paid national parks on the south coast: AU$8 to AU$20 a day. Accommodation not included.
In practice, yes. In both New South Wales and Victoria, a licence not written in English must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit or an approved translation, for up to 6 months. Rental companies require it too. Apply for it in the country that issued your licence, well before departure.
All tolls are electronic, with no barriers and no cash. In a hire car, the plate or tag is read and the rental company recharges the toll with a service fee. Otherwise, a Linkt pass covers Melbourne CityLink trips up to 5 days afterwards. Our itinerary avoids almost all tolls, except the entry into Melbourne.
It is legal, but not advisable outside towns: kangaroos and wombats are hard to see at sunrise and sunset, especially near parks (Wilsons Promontory, Grampians, Phillip Island). Plan to arrive before dusk. If an animal appears, brake firmly without swerving: swerving makes you lose control or sends you into the oncoming lane.
Sydney-Cairns is over 2,400 km by the most direct route, more than 30 hours of driving: at least three weeks, mostly spent at the wheel, with an expensive one-way hire. Sydney-Melbourne along the coast fits into two and a half weeks, mixes national parks, wildlife and the Great Ocean Road, and works all year round.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/australia · by Tom, updated 1 October 2026
