Sydney to Canberra: The Ultimate Road Trip Guide

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.

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.

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.

Makers, bakers, artists, chefs, crafters – Ballarat and its surrounds are overflowing with creative spirits. All dedicated to keeping traditional skills alive for a city that is humming with artful energy.

Modern makers: a new generation of artists and artisans

“Keeping craft alive is a noble cause,” says Jess Cameron-Wootten, a charming and passionate master leathercrafter and cordwainer, who handmakes traditional leather boots and shoes in Ballarat’s old Gun Cotton Goods Store.

Ballarat was recognised in 2019 as a UNESCO Creative City of Craft and Folk Art, and today it’s a place where craft traditions converge with contemporary needs. Nothing quite captures this convergence as a visit to Wootten , the workshop and store of Jess Cameron-Wootten and his partner Krystina Menegazzo.

heritage buildings in Ballarat — Ballarat’s streets are lined with heritage buildings. (Image: Matt Dunne)

Jess’s father was an artisan bootmaker, or cordwainer. Now Jess and Krys and their small team of artisans continue the tradition, but with a modern spin. The company’s boots and shoes, made completely from scratch, are renowned for their quality and longevity. Wootten also craft shoes, bags, belts, leather aprons, wallets and more.

Cosy beanies, gloves, alpaca socks, “unbreakable” shoelaces and various other goods – many from local craftspeople and small-scale makers – fill the shop’s shelves. “We’re always happy to support a mate,” says Jess. “People love to see the workshop and where things are made. Our clients care about quality and sustainability,” Krys comments. The company slogan ‘Made for generations’ says it all.

Ruby Pilven’s ceramics at Ross Creek Gallery. (Image: Tara Moore)

For Ruby Pilven, craft is also in the DNA – both her parents were potters and with her latest porcelain ceramics, Ruby’s young daughter has been helping add colour to the glazes. “I grew up watching my parents in the workshop – I’ve always been doing ceramics,” she says, although her Visual Arts degree was in printmaking. That printmaking training comes through particularly in the rich layering of pattern. Her audacious colour, unexpected shapes and sudden pops of 12-carat gold are contemporary, quirky – and joyful.

You can see Ruby’s handcrafted ceramics, and work by other local and regional artists, at Ross Creek Gallery , a light-filled space surrounded by serene bushland, across from the mudbrick house her parents built in the 1980s. A 10-minute drive from Ballarat, it’s a tangible link to the region’s well-established craft traditions.

How Ballarat is preserving the past

artisans making crafts at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — The Centre for Rare Arts & Forgotten Trades holds workshops to preserve crafts and skills.

While tradition is ongoing, there’s a danger that many of these specific type of skills and knowledge are fading as an older generation passes on. Step forward the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades .

The seven purpose-built studios occupy a fabulous modern building adjacent to Sovereign Hill, with state-of-the-art facilities, enormous windows and landscape views across to Warrenheip and Wadawurrung Country.

artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades, Ballarat — Check out artisanal works at the Centre for Rare Arts and Forgotten Trades.

Practising artisans run hands-on workshops. Fancy making your own medieval armour? Or trying your hand at blacksmithing, spinning wool, plaiting leather, weaving cane or craft a knife? Book a class and learn how. “It’s about creating awareness and also sharing knowledge and skills before they are lost,” explains Deborah Klein, the centre manager.

A city steeped in food and flavours

Chef José Fernandez preparing American streetfood at Pancho — Chef José Fernandez creates vibrant South American street food at Pancho. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

One skill that hasn’t been lost is that of cooking. Ballarat’s burgeoning gastronomy scene runs the gamut from an artisan bakery (the atmospheric 1816 Bakehouse) to cool coffee shops, speakeasy cocktail bars and distilleries to fine-dining venues. But I’m still surprised to find Pancho , José Fernandez’s South American street food restaurant, serving fried cheese tequeños, fiery fish tacos, Argentinian grilled chicken.

The room is as lively as the food – a whirl of colour filled with gifted and thrifted paintings, photos, tchotchkes (trinkets), plants. There’s a Mexican abuela aesthetic going on here. Even before the music and mezcal kick in, it’s fun. Heads up on the drinks menu – an authentic selection of mezcal, tequila, South American wines and Mexican cerveza.

a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits, Ballarat — Enjoy a cocktail at Itinerant Spirits. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

The spirit is willing, so after lunch we head towards the gold rush-era Ballarat train station and across the line to the old 1860s Goods Shed for Itinerant Spirits . At one end, a massive German copper still looms behind a wall of glass. The fit-out embraces deep olive-green tones, original bluestone walls, steamer trunks as coffee tables, heritage timber floors, oversized lamp shades and cognac-hued modernist leather seating.

the Itinerant Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, Ballarat — The distillery operates from an old goods shed. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Gallivanter Gin, Vansetter Vodka and Wayfarer Whiskey – the key spirits distilled – star at the bar. The spirits are crafted using grains from the Wimmera Mallee region, and native botanicals foraged in the Grampians. Seasonal cocktails are inspired by local people and places (I loved The Headland, inspired by Sovereign Hill and flavoured with old-fashioned raspberry drops). Sample the spirits, and join a cocktail masterclass or a distillery tour. It’s a seductive setting – you’ll likely find yourself ordering a charcuterie platter or pizza as the evening progresses.

The Ballarat stay combining history and luxury

one of the rooms at Hotel Vera, Ballarat — The rooms at Hotel Vera have a contemporary style. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

New lives for old buildings keeps history alive. Vera, Ballarat’s boutique five-star hotel, has taken it to the next level: it’s a palimpsest, a subtle layering of early 1900s and 1930s Art Deco architecture with a sleek new wing. There are seven spacious suites, each a dramatically different colour, with designer chairs, blissful bathrooms. High-end pottery and hand-picked artworks imbue the spaces with personality.

Vera’s intimate, award-winning restaurant, Babae, is subtly theatrical with sheer drapes and gallery lighting, its bespoke timber furniture and brass-edged marble bench setting the stage for food with a sharp regional focus. “We have goat’s cheese from a local supplier, handmade granola from local Vegas & Rose, truffles from nearby Black Cat Truffles, fresh food from our garden, and regional wines,” says joint owner David Cook-Doulton.

Celebrating the local makers, bakers, growers and producers, and the master chefs who work their magic is all part of the rich tapestry that links Ballarat’s history to its vibrant present.

A traveller’s checklist

Getting there

It’s 90 minutes from Melbourne, either on the Western Freeway, or hop on a V/Line train from Southern Cross Station.

Staying there

Hotel Vera is a centrally located Art Deco boutique hotel. Consider Hotel Provincial , which feels like a sleek country house, but with its own restaurant, Lola.

a contemporary room at Hotel Provincial, Ballarat — Hotel Provincial has country house vibes.

Eating there

dining at Mr Jones, Ballarat — The table is set at Mr Jones. (Image: Tony Evans/ Visit Victoria)

Culinary whiz Damien Jones helms Chef’s Hat winner Mr Jones Dining with quiet assurance. His modern Asian food is deceptively simple with deep, intense flavours. Low-key, laid-back ambience, lovely staff, thoughtful wine list.

Cocktails are definitely a thing in Ballarat. Reynard (fox in French) is foxy indeed, a clubby space with top-notch cocktails and small bites. Grainery Lane is extravagantly OTT with its massive 1880s bar, myriad chandeliers, brass gin still, Asian-inspired food and lavish cocktails.

dining at Grainery Lane, Ballarat — Dining at Grainery Lane.

Playing there

a laneway filled with artworks in Ballarat — An artful laneway in the city. (Image: Ballarat Tourism)

Check out local design legend Travis Price’s wall murals in Hop Lane with its colourful canopy of brollies, or in Main Street. The Art Gallery of Ballarat’s off-site Backspace Gallery showcases early-career artists in a stylish, contemporary space. First Nations-owned and run Perridak Arts connects people to place, bringing together art and crafts in this gallery/shop.

a woman admiring artworks at Perridak Arts Gallery — Perridak Arts is a First Nations-run gallery. (Image: Tony Evans)

The wineries of the Pyrenees are close at hand with their welcoming cellar doors and robust reds. Join a behind-the-scenes tour at the Centre for Gold Rush Collections .

Don’t forget the giant bluestone Kryal Castle , ‘the land of adventure’, for a little medieval magic, and not just for the kids: get ready for Highland-style feasting, jousting, even overnight stays.

Sydney to Canberra: the ultimate road trip guide