Sydney to Melbourne inland route

What to expect

You can travel back in time at Bindalong, a small town outside of Yass, explore the arts scene in Albury and go walking in Seymour. Take time to really explore Melbourne once you arrive, including the National Gallery of Victoria and the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Day 1: Sydney to Gundagai

4hr 16min | 397km

Wander south-west on the Hume Motorway from the highlands to the plains.

Stop 1: Bowral

A short detour off the motorway is a region that can look rather English when there’s been rain. Bowral in particular, reads like a storybook of simpler days for kids like Mary Poppins. The creator's - Helen Goff/PL Travers - her childhood house is still there on Holly Street and there’s a statue of Mary Poppins in Glebe Park. You can also see where Ginger Meggs (the movie adaptation of the popular comic) was filmed, or visit the Bradman Museum - a must-visit for cricket fans. Drop into the Milk Factory Gallery to admire the ever changing artwork on display.

Bowral streetscape (Photo credit: James Horan; Destination NSW)

Stop 2: Travel back in time at Binalong

Less than half an hour out of Yass is the tiny historic town of Binalong where young Banjo Paterson went to primary school and the bushranger Johnny Gilbert was stopped dead in his tracks. Binalong is filled with well-preserved Victorian and Federation architecture for you to stop and admire. 

Stop 3: Stay at Gundagai

Don’t forget to slow down 10 minutes before you get to Gundagai to pat the Dog on the Tuckerbox and recite a line or two of the famous bush poem. The town is a popular stopover for families taking the inland route to Victoria, so book ahead for a place to sleep. The Tuckerbox Motor Inn offers the town’s only 4-star motel accommodation with modern suites, family rooms and queen rooms.

Dog on the Tuckerbox (Photo credit: Lindsay Evans)

Stop 4: Dinner in Gundagai

For a hearty meal with an old fashioned feel, try The Niagara Cafe. With stunning art deco furnishings, delicious food, a comprehensive menu, and even gluten free options, it's worth a stop.

Day 2: Gundagai to Melbourne

5hr 40min | 521km

Roll through the hills into Victoria and south to Melbourne.

Stop 1: Coffee at Holbrook

An hour and 10 out of Gundagai on the Hume Highway there’s a town once known as Ten Mile Creek and later Germanton (after it was settled by several Germans in the mid-1800s). Now it’s named after a submarine captain. As well as being the final resting place of the ex-RAN submarine HMAS Otway, it’s home to a good number of decent cafés including The Ten Mile and the simply-named Submarine Café right next to the Submarine Museum, which has plenty of hands-on exhibits and artefacts to intrigue visitors of all ages.

Stop 2: Explore Albury

Before you head over the NSW border into Victoria, refuel and spend a few hours exploring the arts scene in Albury. If the weather is fine, go see at least some of the modern Aboriginal sculptures along the 5km Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk. The newest art gallery is MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury), which opened in 2015 and houses several decades’ worth of the Albury Art Prize winners in its permanent collection plus frequent international exhibitions. Artspace, Library Museum and GIGs are also worth exploring – all have quality cafés catering to all tastes.

Murray Art Museum (MAMA) (Photo credit: MAMA)

Stop 3: Detour at Glenrowan

Fifteen minutes after you’ve passed Wangaratta, take the Glenrowan exit to explore a little town just as proud (if not prouder) of its 130-plus years’ winemaking history as its connection to one of our country’s notorious bushrangers. Enjoy some wine tasting at one of the many local vineyards then wander around the Historic Siege Precinct’s collection of sites marking the last hours of Ned Kelly and his gang.

Stop 4: Stretch your legs at Seymour

About 100 kilometres out of Melbourne, Seymour is a country town with a rich military history stretching back to the first training camps for World War I at Puckapunyal military base, just out of town. Two striking outdoor memorials that encourage you to walk and contemplate this history are the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk and Light Horse Memorial Park.

Seymour Light Horse Memorial Park (Photo credit: Visit Victoria)

Stop 5: Stay at Southbank, Melbourne

Just across the river from Southbank is the modern and comfortable Quincy Hotel where NRMA members receive 10% on one night stays. An easy walk to all the shops, restaurants and entertainment centres along the Yarra. It’s just a skip and jump to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Rod Laver Arena (home to tennis and concerts); and right next to Melbourne’s Art Precinct including the Arts Centre Melbourne, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, State Theatre, Malthouse Theatre, Hamer Hall, Southbank Theatre and National Gallery of Victoria.

Melbourne skyline (Photo credit: Andrey Moissseyev)

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