The two biggest cities in Australia! In this 7-day campervan itinerary, we’ll be exploring some of Victoria’s many attractions before heading north to Sydney, the capital of New South Wales and home of two world-famous icons: Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The drive from Melbourne to Sydney is a trip you’ll long remember, filled with uniquely Australian sights, sounds and experiences.
Take the stress out of finding a rental motorhome in Melbourne with Camper Champ. Alternatively, you can pick up a camper in Sydney and drop it off in Melbourne.
Melbourne, the vibrant state capital of Victoria, has so much that is loved and amazing. So after you collect your wheels…
Queen Victoria Market Queen St, Melbourne
It’s not just Australia’s largest open-air market, it’s also the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere, right in the heart of the city. Vibrant and multicultural like Melbourne itself, with over 600 stalls. The bustling Night Market is on every Wednesday, with entertainment and street food. Entry is free.
Royal Botanic Gardens Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne
Talk about popular. This oasis of tranquillity and beauty attracts over 2 million visitors each year. Botanical research here focuses on Australia’s plants, fungi and algae. Entry is free.
National Gallery of Victoria 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Australia’s oldest art gallery, it’s also the most visited. Learn about Indigenous Australian art and a whole lot more. Entry is free, though it’s ticketed, so we suggest you book ahead.
Phillip Island
Famous for its Grand Prix Circuit and the annual calendar of high-octane motor racing, Phillip Island also offers surfing, kayaking, and beautiful beachscapes. Or hire a go-kart and drive the 750-metre go-kart track. Australia’s biggest 4-lane GP slot car track is there, too.
Maze’N Things 1805 Phillip Island Road, Cowes
Also, on Phillip Island, there’s an exciting galaxy of illusions, puzzles, mini golf, interactive magic displays, a flying chandelier, a time machine, and magic rabbits. And plenty of mazes. It’s a-maze-ing, and the kids will love it! Plus 19 holes of outdoor mini golf.
Peninsula Hot Springs 140 Springs Lane, Fingal
Thermal mineral springs and day spa, just 90 minutes from Melbourne. Bath House, private Spa Dreaming Centre and more.
Mornington Peninsula National Park Cape Schanck Rd, Cape Schanck
Described as an “enticing slice of coastal wilderness” that’s just 46 km south-east of the Melbourne CBD, the park includes rock pools for safe swimming, Gunamatta Beach for experienced surfers, swimming with dolphins, enjoy the rugged coastline, or just go fishing.
Squeaky Beach
So what makes this beach on the western side of Wilsons Promontory squeaky? It’s the rounded shape of the grains of sand. As each footstep compresses them, the grains make a squeaking sound, so the kids will love running and making music. White sand, turquoise waters, great walking. No wonder it’s so popular. Hint: turn up early.
Mount Oberon
From the Telegraph Saddle car park on Wilsons Promontory Rd (which incidentally is Australia’s most southerly mainland car park), there’s a popular 1 hour (3.4 km) walk to the summit of Mt Oberon. From the 558-metre summit, you get unbroken 360-degree views.
Wilsons Promontory National Park
Lovers of wildlife will enjoy Refuge Cove for its dolphins, sharks, seals, migrating whales, and rich birdlife (including albatross, fairy prions, little penguins, shearwaters, and white-bellied sea eagles). You could even take a coastal cruise and look out for colonies of seabirds, fur seals, leatherback turtles, and visiting whales.
Lake Wellington Foreshore Reserve, Marlay Point Rd, Clydebank
Although it’s the biggest lake in the Gippsland Lakes system, the waters of Lake Wellington are calm, shallow and very safe for all the family. On the water, there are many options: boating, jet skiing, kayaking, kitesurfing, sailing, waterskiing & windsurfing. Onshore delights include bird watching (hopefully seeing the pelicans feeding), fishing, picnicking, & rambling. Or just take a picnic basket, relax and enjoy all that nature provides in this special place.
Ninety Mile Beach
Sandboarding down the high dunes is just one of the delights at Ninety Mile Beach. Actually, it’s 94 miles long (151 km), but 90 Mile Beach rolls off the tongue more easily, right? Grey nomads and travellers of all ages love the golden sands, birdlife, marine life and wildlife here. Plus, there are charming coastal villages nearby. Beach wheelchairs can be hired from either of the two local surf clubs (best to ring in advance to book).
Croajingolong National Park West Wingan Road, Wingan River
Midway between Melbourne and Sydney, Croajingolong NP includes fairly easy walks, 2 lookouts, rainforests, wildflowers in season, and wilderness coastline
Just off the coast, Gabo Island is the only island lighthouse still operating in Victoria. Take your picnic lunch and enjoy the rock pools, pink granite shoreline, and the clear waters and sandy beaches of Santa Barbara Bay.
World War 2 Bunker Museum Airport Rd, Mallacoota
The Mallacoota Bunker was an Underground Operations Room during WW2. In response to concerns about military attacks by Japan, this was a busy base for the Royal Australian Air Force’s coastal intelligence in Victoria. Open only Tue morning & Sunday afternoon. Mallacoota is blessed with the state’s warmest winter temperature.
Australia’s national capital is a planned city with nearly half a million residents, and it continues to be one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. Despite being inland (it’s affectionately called the Bush Capital), Canberra has an oceanic climate with January maximum temperatures of 29°C (84°F) and frost common in winter.
Australian War Memorial Treloar Cres, Campbell, Canberra
Displays reveal what Aussie defence personnel went through in every theatre of war that Australia entered. Air Force, Army, Navy. The WW1 and WW2 galleries are especially poignant. Shudder as you see the tiny size of the Japanese submarine that entered Sydney Harbour in 1942. Be moved by the Last Post Ceremony (a tribute to those who paid the ultimate price) at 4:45 pm every day. Entry to the War Memorial is free but ticketed, so please book early. Entry to the Last Post Ceremony is also ticketed and free. Parking is free too.
National Museum of Australia Lawson Cres, Acton, Canberra
Rated as Canberra’s top tourist destination by Lonely Planet, visitors can explore Australia’s ancient and modern history on the shores of beautiful Lake Burley Griffin. Profiling 50,000 years of Aboriginal history, art, culture, and tools, and also the development of modern Australia since the British arrived in 1788, including the Federation in 1901 and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Museum entry is free, but parking is not, except on the weekends & public holidays. For the kids, check out the Museum’s Family Trails for just $2.
National Gallery of Australia Parkes Place East, Parkes, Canberra
The national art collection comprises 170,000 highly celebrated works.
Weekend and public holiday parking is free, with entry via Bowen Drive, but as with any popular venue, please arrive early and be prepared for crowds, even in the parking stations.
OTHER POPULAR CANBERRA ATTRACTIONS
• Parliament House (and Old Parliament House, which is now the Museum of Australian Democracy)
• Questacon, a brilliant science and technology centre for kids, with 200 hands-on exhibits that are lots of fun (it’s in King Edward Terrace, Parkes)
• National Botanic Gardens
• National Arboretum, with its Pod Playground for kids (they’ll make music with their footsteps as they run across the musical bridge)
• National Dinosaur Museum, 6 Gold Creek Road, Nicholls
• Lake Burley Griffin with its 50-metre-high Carillon Tower (55 bronze bells), Boundless (a kid's playground near the Carillon), and the Captain Cook Memorial Jet (147-meter-high fountain)
• Royal Australian Mint (and Titan, its money-making robot)
• Bird lovers, consider a visit to Jerrabomberra Wetland (with several bird hides and 170+ species, including black swans, eastern rosellas, purple swamphen, and yellow-tailed black cockatoos).
Bondi Beach
At the world-famous Bondi Beach, swimming is reasonably safe, especially when you swim between the flags. Or just go to see the place because it’s one of the top 5 Instagrammed beaches in the world, so they say. In summer, be sure to use sunscreen and wear a hat because those rays can burn.
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The largest steel arch bridge anywhere in the world and one of the most photographed too. Built with over half a million pieces of steel, it weighs as much as 7 Eiffel Towers. And yes, you can climb it, but not if you’ve only got pocket change.
Sydney Opera House Bennelong Point, Sydney
Situated right on Sydney Harbour, it’s free to visit. World Heritage-listed since 2007, and the annual visitor count goes well beyond 10 million. And it’s huge. Seven A380 aircraft could park wing-to-wing on the site.
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