16 Short Road Trips Perfect For Last-Minute Long Weekend Plans

Make the most of your upcoming long weekend with these short road trips from Australia’s capital cities.

With a long weekend almost upon us, it seems that it has snuck up on so many of us without a single plan. But it’s not too late. There are so many incredible short road trips from Australia’s capital cities that allow for last-minute, impulsive getaways. Whether you’re a foodie, hiker, cosy book reader or a mix of all the above, we’ve got a long weekend suggestion for you.

Sydney

1. Central Coast

Distance: One hour drive.

The Central Coast might be the epitome of a relaxed beach lifestyle, but it’s just as relaxing in the winter. The food scene here is top-notch, and only getting better. The national parks are gorgeous and have easy paths to wander along the coast, up to intense day-long hikes. Not to mention, there’s nothing better than staying inside cosy coastal accommodation all weekend with a good book and/or food, while the weather creates the mood outside. We’ve rounded up the best luxury options here.

2. Southern Highlands

Distance: 1.5-hour drive.

Or, settle in for some country charm that punches well above its weight with a long weekend in the Southern Highlands. Bowral is probably the best-known town in this area (as it should be; the restaurants are delicious (and let’s not forget the famous doughnut van), the accommodation is the definition of charming and the country vibes are warm and welcoming), but don’t forget about the other charming towns nearby. Try our Braidwood guide for a weekend steep in history, nature and fabulous local cuisine. Or just pick your stay depending on this list of our favourite Southern Highland wineries.

Four minimalist plates from Bendooley Estate in Berrima — The Bendooley Estate kitchen offers some incredible dishes in Bowral.

Adelaide

3. Fleurieu Peninsula

Distance: 45-minute drive.

From Willunga with its cosy pubs, bakery, microbreweries, cellar doors to Mt Compass with its rolling hills, popular golf course and country aesthetic to the famous wineries of McLaren Vale to the incredibly unique and beautiful beach of Port Willunga: there really is something for everyone. To find some cute, winery-adjacent accommodation, check out this guide. And treat yourself to these restaurants that will blow you away.

Port Willunga Beach — Find natural beauty, award-winning wine and incredible food. (Image: Elise Cook)

4. Limestone Coast

Distance: Three-hour drive.

Some of Australia’s most unique natural formations can be found along the Limestone Coast. Named for the limestone that created it, find sunken secret gardens, the striking Blue Lake of Mount Gambier and even ancient fossils in Naracoorte Caves. The best part is, that while it’s a bit of a longer drive for the weekend, but the drive is the journey – like this road trip we’ve laid out.

a lush greenery surrounding Umpherston Sinkhole, Mount Gambier — Admire the lush foliage surrounding Umpherston Sinkhole. (Image: Offroad Images)

Hobart

5. Bruny Island

Distance: Two-hour drive.

Let’s be honest, there’s not really anywhere in Tasmania you couldn’t reach over a long weekend. But to leave it all behind on Bruny Island is a long weekend dream. A paradise for foodies, many of the restaurants source most of their ingredients from the island itself – from whisky to cheese to chocolate. Add to that accommodation options that set you down in the middle of nature without another soul in sight and you have a weekend of rejuvenation. Here’s our guide to the best things to do on Bruny Island.

Bruny Island Cheese Co, Tasmania — Eat and drink your way through the best of Tasmanian produce. (Image: Tourism Australia)

6. Cradle Mountain

Distance: Four-hour drive.

You don’t have to do the full Cradle Mountain hike to engage in some of the best star gazing in the world. Thanks to 40 per cent of Tasmania being forested national parks and reserves, there is plenty of space away from light pollution to enjoy a gorgeous night sky. The region around Cradle Mountain just happens to be one of the most popular. This is also meant to be the year of the strongest aurora australis, which is best seen in Tassie as well. So find a place to stay and start looking up.

Aurora Australis over Cradle Mountain — See the aurora australis over Cradle Mountain. (Image: Pierre Destribats)

Canberra

7. Orange

Distance: 3.5-hour drive.

Orange is not the same place today that it was 10 years ago, in all the best ways. Now, there are endless things to do: from shopping arts and crafts to top-tier dining options that source ingredients regionally to amazing winery tours. You could even make it a romantic getaway for two if the mood takes you. The large country town is steep in historic architecture and natural beauty, as well.

wine tasting with Orange Wine Tours — Enjoy the spoils of Orange with a wine tour. (Image: Destination NSW)

8. Crackenback

Distance: Two-hour drive.

Sure, you might be too late to book a ski resort stay, but there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the snow season in Australia. Grab your warmest outfits and head to Crackenback, nestled between Thredbo and Jindabyne. From here you can enjoy day passes to big ski fields, but not be fighting for a hotel room or dinner booking. Not that this means it doesn’t offer restaurant options to rival any nearby towns – the French-inspired menu at Crackenback Farm is particularly popular. Or, just make this road trip the journey.

Thredbo Valley Horse Riding in winter — Enjoy many ways to explore around Crackenback. (Image: Destination NSW)

Brisbane

9. Toowoomba

Distance: Two-hour drive.

Toowoomba has a charm all of its own. As the largest inland city of Queensland, it boasts its fair share of attractions and events throughout the year, public parks and nature reserves, a local arts scene and even fabulous accommodation. Start packing the car and check out our round-up of the best (and super unique) things to do in Toowoomba.

Toowoomba gardens — Find the vibrant Ju Raku En Japanese Garden in Toowoomba.

10. Granite Belt

Distance: 2.5-hour drive.

The Granite Belt is considered Southern Queensland Country’s food bowl – need I say more? Take this road trip around the whole area to see the best of its wineries, breweries and distilleries, food producers, nature and more. Or settle in one of its charming towns (like Tenterfield, Walcha and Stanthorpe). Beyond food, there’s a great arts scene and plenty of other surprising things to do.

Walcha's Open Air Gallery — Roam the sculptures of Walcha’s Open Air Gallery. (Image: Destination NSW)

Perth

11. Mandurah

Distance: One-hour drive.

If you live in Perth, and you haven’t seen the incredible Giants of Mandurah yet, consider this your sign to make weekend plans. These statues are not only fun to find and impressive to behold, but the whole intent behind them is to help visitors explore the canals, wetlands, and gaping bays of this gorgeous part of Australia. There’s a reason it took out last year’s Top Tourism Town Award. Besides the Giants, go fishing, find experiences that will help connect you to Country and maybe even spot dolphins. Find our favourite things to do here.

Yaburgurt Winjan Cirkelstone Giant, giants of mandurah — Marvel at the Giants of Mandurah. (Image: Visit Mandurah)

12. Green Head

Distance: Two-hour drive.

Or, head in the opposite direction to the seaside haven of Green Head . Here, you’ll find a haven of 820 native flowering species – best seen from winter to early summer – including grevillea, leschenaultia, orchids, banksia and pearl flowers. Head east to Lesueur National Park to see them in bloom, woven between tall eucalypts. Later, head towards the local beach where a colony of Australian sea lions are often playful and outgoing. Get a closer look at them on a boat tour of the surrounding islands.

Wildflowers in Lesueur National Park — See the wildflowers of Lesueur National Park. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Darwin

13. Lake Bennett

Distance: One-hour drive.

For a weekend of nothing but switching off and enjoying a slow (but beautiful) pace, Lake Bennett is the getaway for you. The lake itself is peaceful and perfect for a picnic, edged with thick greenery and occasionally spotted with lily pads. But it’s also large, and a popular place for fishing and boating. Follow easy walking trails around the water’s edge, or grab your more serious hiking gear and drive the short distance to Litchfield National Park.

Lake Bennett lilypads — Picnic by the lily pads of Lake Bennett. (Image: Tonal Luminosity)

14. Mataranka

Distance: Four-hour drive.

Gaining worldwide recognition after Jeannie Gunn’s novel, We of the Never Never, was written about nearby Elsey Station, Mataranka is a friendly town perfect for weekend explorations. Hike into Elsey National Park then relax in the natural Bitter Springs thermal pool. Or stay in town and discover the rich Indigenous and European history of this region during a self-guided tour of the Never Never Museum . Later, contemplate what you’ve just learned over coffee and scones.

Bitter Springs in the NT — Float in the cobalt aquamarine waters at Bitter Springs. (Image: Lets Escape Together)

Melbourne

15. Bendigo

Distance: Two-hour drive.

For a fairly small town, Bendigo provides serious bang for its buck. There are already so many things to do here, from tours of the town on historic trams to watching local artisans at work to fun, interactive exhibits at the Discovery Science & Technology Centre – but this long weekend is a particularly good time to visit. No one does a festival like Bendigo, and right now you can join in Paris: Impressions of Life 1880 – 1925 and get an all-encompassing trip to Paris without leaving the state.

a woman strolling inside the Bendigo Art Gallery — Step into the Bendigo Art Gallery. (Image: Two Palms Australia)

16. Birregurra

Distance: One-hour and 45-minute drive.

The historical (it was booming in the 1900s) town of Birregurra is the perfectly quaint long weekend away of your dreams, without compromising on dining options. In fact, there’s even a hatted restaurant in town, Brae, although you’re lucky to nab a spot last minute. As is the nearby, much-lauded Royal Mail Hotel‘s Wickens (although you have a better chance at their more casual Parker St Project. Luckily, there are plenty of delicious and popular options in town to make the trip worth it. Treetops Adventure Park is nearby to get your heart pumping or check out the thriving local arts scene.

plated dish at Brae Restaurant — Treat the tastebuds in Birregurra. (Image: Brae Restaurant)

Video credit: Visit Victoria/Tourism Australia

The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

There are no kangaroos back in Chicago: they’re all here in the Grampians/Gariwerd . In the heart of the Grampians National Park’s main gateway town, Halls Gap, pods of eastern greys are eating grass beside my parked rental car beneath the stars. Next morning, when I see the backyard of my rented villa on the edge of town for the first time, there are kangaroos feeding beside a slow-moving creek, lined with river red gums.

Five hundred metres up the road, 50 or so of them are eating by the side of the road in a paddock. I pull over to watch and spot three emus. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly overhead towards the tall green mountains just beyond town.

‘Kee-ow, keee-oww’… their calls fuse with the maniacal cackle of a kookaburra (or 10). Gawd, how I’ve missed the sound of them. Far above, a wedge-tailed eagle watches, and there you go: the ‘great birds of Australia’ trifecta, all half a kay from the town limits.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

kangaroos near Halls Gap, Grampians National Park — The park is renowned for its significant diversity of native fauna species. (Image: Visit Victoria/Robert Blackburn)

I’ve come to the Grampians to disconnect, but the bush offers a connection of its own. This isn’t just any bush, mind you. The Grampians National Park is iconic for many reasons, mostly for its striking sandstone mountains – five ridges run north to south, with abrupt, orange slopes which tumble right into Halls Gap – and for the fact there’s 20,000 years of traditional rock art. Across these mountains there are more than 200 recorded sites to see, created by the Djab Wurrung, Jardwadjali and Gunditjmara peoples. It’s just like our outback… but three hours from Melbourne.

I’ve come here for a chance at renewal after the chaos of my life in America’s third-largest city, Chicago, where I live for now, at the whim of a relative’s cancer journey. Flying into Melbourne’s airport, it only takes an hour’s drive to feel far away from any concept of suburbia. When I arrive in Halls Gap two hours later, the restaurant I’m eating at clears out entirely by 7:45pm; Chicago already feels a lifetime ago.

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

sunrise at Grampians National Park /Gariwerd — Grampians National Park /Gariwerd covers almost 2000 square kilometres. (Image: Ben Savage)

Though the national park covers almost 2000 square kilometres, its best-known landmarks are remarkably easy to access. From my carpark here, among the cockatoos and kangaroos on the fringe of Halls Gap, it only takes 60 seconds’ driving time before I’m winding my way up a steep road through rainforest, deep into the mountains.

Then it’s five minutes more to a carpark that serves as a trailhead for a hike to one of the park’s best vantage points, The Pinnacles . I walk for an hour or so, reacquainting myself with the smells and the sounds of the Aussie bush, before I reach it: a sheer cliff’s edge lookout 500 metres up above Halls Gap.

walking through a cave, Hollow Mountain — Overlooking the vast Grampians landscape from Hollow Mountain. (Image: Robert Blackburn)

There are hikes and there are lookouts and waterfalls all across this part of the park near town. Some are a short stroll from a carpark; others involve long, arduous hikes through forest. The longest is the Grampians Peaks Trail , Victoria’s newest and longest iconic walk, which runs 160 kilometres – the entire length of Grampians National Park.

Local activities operator Absolute Outdoors shows me glimpses of the trail. The company’s owner, Adrian Manikas, says it’s the best walk he’s done in Australia. He says he’s worked in national parks across the world, but this was the one he wanted to bring his children up in.

“There’s something about the Grampians,” he says, as he leads me up a path to where there’s wooden platforms for tents, beside a hut looking straight out across western Victoria from a kilometre up in the sky (these are part of the guided hiking options for the trail). “There are things out here that you won’t see anywhere else in Australia.” Last summer, 80 per cent of the park was damaged by bushfire, but Manikas shows me its regrowth, and tells me of the manic effort put in by volunteers from town – with firefighters from all over Australia – to help save Halls Gap.

wildflowers in Grampians National Park — Spot wildflowers. (Image: Visit Victoria)

We drive back down to Halls Gap at dusk to abseil down a mountain under the stars, a few minutes’ walk off the main road into town. We have headlamps, but a full moon is enough to light my way down. It takes blind faith to walk backwards down a mountain into a black void, though the upside is I can’t see the extent of my descent.

Grampians National Park at sunset. (Image: Wine Australian)

The stargazing is ruined by the moon, of course, but you should see how its glow lights up the orange of the sandstone, like in a theme park. When I’m done, I stand on a rocky plateau drinking hot chocolate and listening to the Aussie animals who prefer nighttime. I can see the streets of Halls Gap off in the distance on this Friday night. The restaurants may stay open until 8pm tonight.

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

a boat travelling along the Wimmera River inDimboola — Travelling along the Wimmera River in Dimboola. (Image: Chris McConville)

You’ll find all sorts of adventures out here – from rock climbing to canoeing to hiking – but there’s more to the Grampians than a couple of thousand square kilometres of trees and mountains. Halls Gap may be known to most people, but what of Pomonal, and Dimboola, and Horsham? Here in the shadow of those big sandstone mountains there are towns and communities most of us don’t know to visit.

And who knew that the Grampians is home to Victoria’s most underrated wine region ? My disconnection this morning comes not in a forest, but in the tasting rooms and winery restaurants of the district. Like Pomonal Estate, barely 10 minutes’ drive east of Halls Gap, where UK-born chef Dean Sibthorp prepares a locally caught barramundi with lentil, pumpkin and finger lime in a restaurant beside the vines at the base of the Grampians. Husband-and-wife team Pep and Adam Atchison tell me stories as they pour their prize wines (shiraz is the hero in these parts).

dining at Pomonal Estate — Dine in a restaurant beside vines at Pomonal Estate. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Three minutes’ drive back down the road, long-time mates Hadyn Black and Darcy Naunton run an eclectic cellar door out of a corrugated iron shed, near downtown Pomonal. The Christmas before last, half the houses in Pomonal burnt down in a bushfire, but these locals are a resilient lot.

The fires also didn’t stop the construction of the first art centre in Australia dedicated to environmental art in a nature-based precinct a little further down the road (that’s Wama – the National Centre for Environmental Arts), which opened in July. And some of the world’s oldest and rarest grape vines have survived 160 years at Best’s Wines, outside the heritage town of Great Western. There’s plantings here from the year 1868, and there’s wines stored in century-old barrels within 150-year-old tunnels beneath the tasting room. On the other side of town, Seppelt Wines’ roots go back to 1865. They’re both only a 30-minute drive from Halls Gap.

Salingers of Great Western — Great Western is a charming heritage town. (Image: Griffin Simm)

There’s more to explore yet; I drive through tiny historic towns that barely make the map. Still part of the Grampians, they’re as pretty as the mountains behind them: full of late 19th-century/early 20th-century post offices, government offices and bank buildings, converted now to all manner of bric-a-brac stores and cafes.

The Imaginarium is one, in quirky Dimboola, where I sleep in the manager’s residence of an old National Australia Bank after a gourmet dinner at the local golf club, run by noted chef and teacher, Cat Clarke – a pioneer of modern Indigenous Australian cooking. Just south, I spend an entire afternoon at a winery, Norton Estate Wines, set on rolling calico-coloured hills that make me think of Tuscany, chit-chatting with owners Chris and Sam Spence.

Being here takes me back two decades, when I lived here for a time. It had all seemed as foreign as if I’d driven to another planet back then (from Sydney/Warrane), but there seemed something inherently and immediately good about this place, like I’d lived here before.

And it’s the Australian small-town familiarity of the Grampians that offers me connection back to my own country. Even in the better-known Halls Gap, Liz from Kerrie’s Creations knows I like my lattes with soy milk and one sugar. And while I never do get the name of the lady at the local Ampol station, I sure know a lot about her life.

Kookaburras on a tree — Kookaburras are one of some 230 bird species. (Image: Darren Donlen)

You can be a local here in a day; how good is that? In Chicago, I don’t even know who my neighbour is. Though each day at dusk – when the kangaroos gather outside my villa, and the kookaburras and the black cockatoos shout out loud before settling in to sleep – I prefer the quieter connection I get out there in the bush, beneath these orange mountains.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Sleep beside the wildlife on the edge of Halls Gap at Serenity .

Playing there

abseiling down Hollow Mountain — Hollow Mountain is a popular abseiling site.

Go abseiling under the stars or join a guided hike with Absolute Outdoors . Visit Wama , Australia’s first environmental art centre. Check out Dimboola’s eccentric Imaginarium .

Eating there

steak, naan bread and beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap serves a great steak on naan bread.

Eat world-class cuisine at Pomonal Estate . Dine and stay at much-revered icon Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld. The ‘steak on naan’ at Halls Gap brewhouse Paper Scissors Rock , can’t be beat.

Dunkeld Arboretum in Grampians National Park — The serene Dunkeld Arboretum.

For Halls Gap’s best breakfasts head to Livefast Cafe . Sip local wines at Great Western’s historic wineries, Best’s Wines , Seppelt Wines and Norton Estate Wines .

two glasses of beer at Paper Scissors Rock in Halls Gap — Sink a cold one at Paper Scissors Rock.

16 short road trips perfect for last-minute long weekend plans

Make the most of your upcoming long weekend with these short road trips from Australia’s capital cities.

Sydney

1. Central Coast

2. Southern Highlands

Adelaide

3. Fleurieu Peninsula

4. Limestone Coast

Hobart

5. Bruny Island

6. Cradle Mountain

Canberra

7. Orange

8. Crackenback

Brisbane

9. Toowoomba

10. Granite Belt

Perth

11. Mandurah

12. Green Head

Darwin

13. Lake Bennett

14. Mataranka

Melbourne

15. Bendigo

16. Birregurra

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The Grampians just might be the ultimate antidote for the metropolis, writes one returning Aussie ready to disconnect from the modern world and reconnect to the Great outdoors.

Exchanging city chaos for country calm

The trails and treasures of the Grampians

What else is on offer in The Grampians?

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

Playing there

Eating there