Bathurst to Canberra road trip: Distance, time and road trip stops
The Bathurst to Canberra drive covers a distance of 253km, with a driving time of around 3h13m. The best road trip stops to add to the itinerary are Mount Panorama and the Abercrombie Caves.
The drive from Bathurst to Canberra passes through some of the lesser explored stretches of New South Wales.
It is overwhelmingly rural in nature, but a Bathurst to Canberra road trip does pass a few attractive spots that may be of interest to visitors.
Canberra offers wine and distillery tours, plus guided visits to the National Museum of Australia. To investigate Canberra tour and experience options, head here. To find the best Canberra hotel deals, book here.
Bathurst brings private luxury wine tours and jet fighter flights.
7 great Canberra experiences to book before you arrive
- Full day city highlights tour – including Mount Ainslie, Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial.
- Tidbinbilla wildlife and birds tour – see kangaroos, koalas, platypus and emus in the wild.
- Hot air balloon flight – see Canberra’s unique design while floating above the city.
- Small group wine tour – discover the amazing wineries and food producers of the Canberra region.
- Australian Institute of Sport tour – see where Australia’s next generation of sporting greats train.
- Australian Museum – expert-guided tour of the museum highlights.
- Brewery tour – hop between Canberra’s best craft breweries.
Bathurst to Canberra distance and driving time
The distance from Bathurst to Canberra by car is 253km. This makes for a driving time of around three hours and 13 minutes.
The first major road trip attraction on the way out is Mount Panorama. It’s better known to petrolheads as a motor racing circuit. The races take place on public roads, however, and you can walk the track if you so wish. There’s a 1.7km boardwalk section should you prefer a mere taster.
Bathurst to Canberra road trip stops: Abercrombie Caves
The major road trip attraction on the Bathurst to Canberra drive comes just after Trunkey Creek. The Abercrombie Caves are arguably just as impressive as the much better-known Jenolan Caves near Oberon.
From here the Bathurst to Canberra drive passes between the Nuggetty State Conservation Area and Keverstone State Conservation Area just south of Tuena.
Bathurst to Canberra drive: Crookwell, Gunning and Gundaroo
The next town of any size along the route is Crookwell, which has a caravan park but not much else to get excited about. The drive then carries along down the Grabben-Gullen Road towards Gunning and the Gundaroo Road towards Gundaroo. The McLeods Creek Nature Reserve is of possible interest here, but most will continue over the Australian Capital Territory border and into Canberra without bothering to stop.
The top Canberra accommodation picks
There is a large selection of Canberra accommodation options. But these are particularly good choices…
- The one with the highest guest rating: A By Adina Canberra.
- For something cool and stylish: East Hotel and Apartments.
- The one where the VIPs stay: Hyatt Hotel Canberra.
- For high quality apartments: Quest Canberra City Walk.
- For something much cheaper and family-focused: Alivio Tourist Park.
More Bathurst distances and driving times
Bathurst to Cowra: Distance 106km, driving time 1h16m.
Bathurst to Dubbo: Distance 197km, driving time 2h30m. (More Dubbo driving times)
Bathurst to Lithgow: Distance 63km, driving time 47m.
Bathurst to Mudgee: Distance 127km, driving time 1h28m.
Bathurst to Orange: Distance 57km, driving time 47m. (More Orange driving times)
Bathurst To Sydney: Distance 200km, driving time 2h30m. (More Sydney road trips)