Sydney to Canberra: the ultimate road trip guide

Chris SinghBy 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.

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.

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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How a $1 deal saved Bendigo’s historic tramways

    Megan ArkinstallBy Megan Arkinstall
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    The passionate community that saved Bendigo Tramways has kept the story of this city alive for generations.

    It was an absolute steal: a fleet of 23 trams for just $1. But such a fortunate purchase didn’t happen easily. It was 1972 when the Bendigo Trust handed over a single buck for the city’s historic collection of battery, steam and electric trams, which had transported locals since 1890.

    inside the historic Bendigo Tram
    Bendigo Tramways is a historic transport line turned tourist service. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    The city’s tram network had been declared defunct since 1970 due to post-war shortages in materials to upkeep the trams and declining passenger numbers as motor vehicles were increasing. However, determined locals would not hear of their beloved trams being sold off around the world.

    The Bendigo Trust was enlisted to preserve this heritage, by converting the trams into a tourist service. The Victorian government approved a trial, however news spread that the Australian Electric Tramways Museum in Adelaide had acquired one of the streetcars for its collection.

    a tram heading to Quarry Hill in 1957
    A tram on its way to Quarry Hill in 1957. (Image: Bendigo Heritage)

    An impassioned group rallied together to make this physically impossible. Breaking into the tram sheds, they welded iron pipes to the rails, removed carbon brushes from the motors, and formed a blockade at the depot. The community response was extraordinary, and a $1 deal was sealed.

    A new chapter for the city’s fleet

    the old Tramways Depot and Workshop
    The old Tramways Depot and Workshop is one of the stops on the hop-on, hop-off service. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    Today, Bendigo Tramways welcomes some 40,000 passengers annually, operating as a hop-on, hop-off touring service aboard the restored trams. Fifteen of the now 45-strong fleet are dubbed ‘Talking Trams’ because of the taped commentary that is played along the route. The trams loop between Central Deborah Gold Mine and the Bendigo Joss House Temple, which has been a place of Chinese worship since 1871, via other sites including the old Tramways Depot and Workshop.

    a Gold Mine Bendigo Tram
    The fleet comprises 45 trams that have been restored. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

    Keeping things interesting, throughout the year visitors can step aboard different themed trams. Tram No. 302 becomes the Yarn Bomb Tram, decorated both inside and out with colourful crochet by an anonymous group of locals.

    During the festive season, Tram No. 15 operates as a tinsel-festooned Santa Tram, and the big man himself hides out somewhere along the route for excited children to find. And on selected dates, the adults-only Groove Tram runs nighttime tours of the city, accompanied by local musicians playing live tunes and a pop-up bar.

    the historic post office turned visitor centre in Bendigo
    Visitors can hop on and off to see the city’s sites such as the historic post office turned visitor centre. (Image: Tourism Australia)

    As well as preserving the city’s history, however, the continuation of the tram service has kept the skills of tram building and craftsmanship alive in a practical sense. Bendigo’s Heritage Rail Workshop is world-renowned for restoring heritage trams and repurposing vehicles in creative ways.

    Locally, for example, Tram No. 918 was transformed into the Dja Dja Wurrung Tram with original Aboriginal artworks by emerging artist Natasha Carter, with special commentary and music that shares the stories and traditions of Bendigo’s first people. You can’t put a price on preserving history. Nonetheless, it was a dollar very well spent.