Sydney to Canberra: the ultimate road trip guide

Chris Singh Chris Singh
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The short drive from Sydney to Canberra is packed with interesting things to do and some of regional NSW’s best food.

The easy three-hour road trip from Sydney to Canberra doesn’t need to be uneventful. Be mindful of all the great stops you can make along the way to keep you busy and unlock the beauty of Southern NSW.

There are two main routes you can take if driving from Sydney to Canberra. First, you can opt for the coastal route which will take you past Wollongong. Obviously, this is a more scenic option, but it also takes much longer which is why most people driving the Sydney to Canberra route would go inland and follow the motorway.

Inland is actually a more rewarding option, not just because it’s much faster, but it’ll also take you through the Southern Highlands with some great stops along the way. Take note of a few fast facts below before we dive into what to see and do on a road trip from Sydney to Canberra.

  • The driving distance from Sydney to Canberra is 285km
  • The time it takes to drive from Sydney to Canberra is 3 hours
  • The main stops along the way from Sydney to Canberra are Bowral, Berrima, Mittagong,
  • Moss Vale, Fitzroy Falls, Sutton Forest, Exeter, Goulburn and Lake George.

Stop 1: Go antique shopping in the Southern Highlands 

The Southern Highlands villages of Moss Vale, Mittagong, Bowral and Berrima are all great places for antique shopping. The most famous antique shop is Lydie du Bray Antiques in Braemar, perfect for unique homewares and furniture.

a couple browsing through antique items at Dirty Janes Bowral 
Dirty Janes is a must-visit destination for collectors. (Image: Destination NSW)

However, you’ll want to spend most of your time in Bowral where both Dirty Janes Bowral and Lancelot Hill Antiques sell incredible vintage jewellery alongside eclectic fashion pieces. You’ll easily find your next favourite swag.

the Lancelot Hill Antiques in Bowral
Pop into Lancelot Hill Antiques for all things vintage. (Image: James Horan / Destination NSW)

Stop 2: Race a fast car at One Raceway

One Raceway, formerly known as Wakefield Park Raceway, offers a 2,200-kilometre racing circuit where you can take some hot laps with or without a pro driver in some slick, well-maintained vehicles. Grab a V8 supercar or V8 Auscar and blow off some steam around the circuit.

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Stop 3: See the International Cricket Hall of Fame

The Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame is located in the town of Bowral, which is almost the halfway point between Sydney and Canberra.

the Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame, Bowral
Visit the Bradman International Cricket Hall of Fame. (Image: Destination NSW)

Modern technology is used to pay homage to cricket legends, including many Australians who have been shaping the sport for decades.

men playing a game of cricket at the Bradman InternationalCricket Hall of Fame, Bowral
Experience the excitement of a cricket match unfolding on the pitch. (Image: Dee Kramer Photography)

Pair your visit with a stroll around the Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens and pick up a pie at Gumnut Patisserie before you jump back in the car.

Stop 4: Take a detour to Fitzroy Falls

Feel like a hike? After you’ve left Bowral, take a short detour off the motorway and you’ll end up in the beautiful setting of Fitzroy Falls. While Canberra has some beautiful walks waiting for you, it’s worth getting those hiking boots out and tracing the well-maintained West Rim Track which will take you through diverse landscapes and past those roaring waterfalls. Fitzroy Fall lookout is only a short hike from the visitor’s centre so even if you can’t dedicate two hours to the entire walk, it takes little effort to reach the best view in the Southern Highlands.

an aerial view of the Fitzroy Falls
Take a short detour to see the stunning Fitzroy Falls. (Image: Kramer Photography; www.kramer.photography)

Stop 5: Take an architecture tour of Exeter

While the Southern Highlands has plenty of quaint little villages to see, the most beautiful from an architectural perspective is Exeter. This thriving village has a large number of English-style estates and historic churches, earning its sometimes nickname of “Little England." Pop by for a quick, pleasant walk around town and don’t miss the historic Aidan’s Church of England with its beautiful stained-glass windows.

the Exeter village in Southern Highlands, NSW
Inside the Exeter village, you’ll find English-style estates and historic churches.

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Stop 6: Visit the historic pubs of Goulburn

Goulburn is one of the bigger towns that you’ll hit just before you arrive in Canberra. If all the cafes in the Southern Highlands didn’t do it for you, sit down to a classic Aussie pub meal at any one of the town’s five major pubs. The Hibernian Hotel, the Southern Railway Hotel and the Gordon Hotel are the best of them, giving you one last essential slice of Southern NSW before you reach the tail-end of your Sydney to Canberra road trip.

Stop 7: Snap a selfie at Lake George Lookout

You’ll pass by Lake George on the Federal Highway just before you hit Canberra. The endorheic lake is famously calm and is surrounded by striking landscapes and wind farms.

There’s a lot to take in, so it’s always best to take the easy hike up to Weereewa Lookout which offers incredible views of the lake and beyond, taking in the best of the Southern Tablelands.

Stop 8: Grab lunch in Gundaroo

After you’ve visited Lake George, hop on over the other side of the highway and check out the village of Gundaroo. Make a beeline for the historic National Trust Royal Hotel with the multi-award-winning Grazing restaurant.

Grazing restaurant Gundaroo
Tuck into refined country fare. (Image: Ash St George / Pew Pew Studios)

Here, you’ve got some of the best local fresh farm produce and an exceptionally long list of the region’s best wines to choose from. And while Canberra is packed with some incredible restaurants, having a satisfying meal here is the only way to cap a short and sweet road trip.

the Grazing restaurant signage
Stop by the Grazing restaurant over the other side of the highway. (Image: Ash St George / Pew Pew Studios)

Discover the best things to do in Canberra.

Chris Singh
Chris Singh is an arts, travel and food journalist with 17 years of experience in digital media and 4 years of experience in SEO writing. He is the former travel editor of premium men's lifestyle title Boss Hunting and currently balances his role as Deputy Editor-At-Large of the AU review with freelance travel writing gigs at Australian Traveller, Luxury Escapes, Cruise & Travel and Sydney Travel Guide. Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts & Sciences (Sociology and Psychology) from the University of Sydney and once worked as a line dancer for steakhouse chain Lone Star (no, seriously). He's always got his finger on the pulse for good live music and delicious new restaurants, has a particular love of historic hotels and is starting to see the restorative value of the ever-present wellness industry. Although he is a born-and-bred Sydneysider, his favourite Australian cities are Hobart and Adelaide. Internationally, he can never get enough of big cities like Tokyo, New York and Chicago. If you're looking for him, he's either at a concert, on a plane or behind a laptop.
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What it’s really like to stay on the world’s largest sand island

    Kassia Byrnes Kassia Byrnes
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    Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

    The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

    But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

    Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

    Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

    Exploring K’gari

    ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island
    Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

    This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

    If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

    The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

    kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island
    Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

    If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

    While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise. Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

    The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

    Unwind at sunset

    two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort
    Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

    As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

    The Sunset Bar, located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

    When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

    Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

    Indulge and disconnect

    woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa
    Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

    The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

    Getting there

    kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island
    The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

    Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.