The best road trips in the ACT

Australian Traveller Australian Traveller
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Soak up the views in Lake George, discover the country town that was a former prisoner of war camp, hike to Gibraltar Falls, visit the home of Banjo Paterson and more on the best ACT road trip routes.

Canberra to Cowra, ACT/NSW

The drive from Canberra to Cowra will take just over two hours, but it’s well worth visiting this country town, which was a prisoner of war camp during World War II. The stunning Japanese gardens, cemetery and Australia’s World Peace Bell serve as constant reminders of the historic events that took place here.

To get there, take the Barton Highway for just over two hours, and then you’ll arrive in beautiful Cowra, where you can sample superb local food and wine and picturesque waterways.

Once you’re there, be sure to visit the gardens, the cemetery and ring the World Peace Bell to pay homage to that time in history. You should also check out the Cowra Heritage Walk, which covers a whopping 15 sites of historic interest. The Cowra Regional Art Gallery is also worth a visit, as are the wineries, where you can taste some of the state’s most promising wines. It’s Cowra’s climate, with warm days and cool nights that ensures the wine produced is top notch.

The stunning Japanese Gardens, Cowra.
The stunning Japanese Gardens, Cowra.

Canberra to Young round trip, ACT

This is a road trip that’ll have you stepping back in time, taking in quaint country towns like Berrima and Braidwood. Recommended as a four-day drive, it’s well worth choosing to spend your nights in charming colonial properties when you can, to properly soak in the theme of the trip.

 

First stop is Mittagong, where you can explore the stunning art galleries and antique stores of Bowral and Moss Vale. If you can, spend a night in Milton House to stay you’ve spent the night in one of the hotels with the most picturesque gardens in the country.

 

From there, you’ll head to Yass; the home of Banjo Paterson during his youth. This is rich sheep grazing country, and well worth taking the day to explore.

Road trip through the Yass Valley.

Next up, you’ll head straight to Young; aka Australia’s cherry capital. You can actually take part in the fruit picking between November and April, or you can drink the fruit, so to speak, at one of the wineries in the Hilltops wine region.

 

READ MORE: A foodie’s road trip through Yass Valley

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

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Canberra to Batemans Bay

Just a two-hour trip, heading to Batemans Bay for the day – or a long weekend, ideally – is the perfect getaway from a gloomy Canberra winter day, to seek a little sunshine. To get there just follow the Kings Highway towards the coast. Once you arrive, there are a number of things you can do, from a perusal of the weekend markets, to grabbing your bike and hitting the Batemans Bay cycleway.

 

For those who seek a little more adventure, why not go horseriding at Timbertops Horse Riding? Or check out Old Mogo Town; a nod to the 1850s gold mining era.

 

A drive down to nearby Pebbly Beach will see you making friends with tame kangaroos, and you can head to the Botanic Gardens and use the BBQ facilities to set up an all-day hangout with the family.

Canberra to Batemans Bay road trip
Spend a long weekend in beautiful Batemans Bay.

Canberra to Gibraltar Falls, ACT

More like a day trip, the journey to Gibraltar Falls won’t take you very long – but it’s worth dedicating a day to. Once you park, it’s only a short walk to Gibraltar Falls, but once there you’ll often find that you’re completely alone in the magnificent setting. Once there you can get right up close to the waterfall and the rock face, as well as the long drop down – so be careful.

 

It’s highly recommended that you take with you a picnic and enjoy the day gazing over the lookout. Bring your swimmers, too – as it’s perfectly okay to swim in the pools near the lookout at the top of the falls. But be careful – the water isn’t fast flowing but the rocks can be slippery and icy.

 

The other highlight is the Falls’ indigenous history. Be sure to explore the rock shelter and stone artefacts that can be found around the Gibraltar Valley for a look back at the Indigenous habitation of the area.

swim at Gibraltar Falls
Take a day trip from Canberra to swim at Gibraltar Falls.

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Canberra to Sydney

When travelling the three hours to Sydney, it’s important to have an idea of the places worth stopping off. When you start your journey, do yourself a favour and stop off at Goulburn’s famous Trapper’s Bakery and fuel up with one of their delicious chunky beef pies. Wash it down with a smooth coffee from their café.

 

From there, head to Lake George to take advantage of some of the incredibly scenic lookouts, including Weereewa Lookout, which allows you to take in the entirety of Lake George. There are also a few scattered picnic tables if you wish to take a longer break.

 

Before heading into Sydney city, it’s worth pulling in to Bowral to take in this quaint country town. With an increasingly cosmopolitan high street, Bowral’s houses and restaurants still maintain a lot of country charm the town has always had. The antique shops are also worth a visit, to pick up a rare souvenir.

road trip canberra to sydney
Take your time getting from Canberra to Sydney.

READ MORE: Things to see and do driving Canberra to Sydney

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8 experiences to get the most out of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road

    Louis Costello Louis Costello
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    Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

    There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

    So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

    1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

    Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism
    Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

    Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

    2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

    woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs
    Let mineral-rich water heal you.

    If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

    The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

    3. Take to the air at Princetown

    12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road
    See an icon from a different view.

    You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

    The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

    4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

    Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum
    Visit a time of yore.

    Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

    The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

    If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

    5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

    kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave
    Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

    Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

    Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

    6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

    Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB
    Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

    Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

    Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

    7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

    bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour
    Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

    If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

    The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

    8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

    Cape Otway Lightstation
    Delve into the tales of Cape Otway Lightstation.

    Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

    While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

    And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

    Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.