Canberra to Cooma: Distance, driving time and road trip stops
The distance from Canberra to Cooma is 116km, making for a 1h17m driving time. Road trip attractions include the Rob Roy Range Nature Reserve and Bredbo Christmas Barn.
For most visitors, the Canberra to Cooma drive is likely to be the first leg on a drive from Canberra to Jindabyne. Cooma is the gateway town to the Snowy Mountains, but Jindabyne is the most appealing place to stay in the region.
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.
If you want to stay in Cooma, investigate the best accommodation deals.
It’s perfectly possible to do the Canberra to Cooma drive in one stint behind the wheel. But you might want to consider a few road trip attractions along the way.
Canberra to Cooma distance and driving time
The Canberra to Cooma drive is almost entirely along the Monaro Highway, covering a 116km distance.
This makes for a Canberra to Cooma driving time of around one hour and 17 minutes.
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.
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.
Leaving Canberra, the route passes through the Jerrabomberra Wetlands, then past the West Jerrabomberra Nature Reserve.
The Rob Roy Range Nature Reserve near Royalla and Gigerline Nature Reserve near Williamsdale are to the west of the Monaro Highway, as it follows the Murrumbidgee River south.
The Australian Capital Territory’s biggest national park – Namadgi National Park is west of the Murrumbidgee.
Canberra to Cooma drive: New South Wales section
Once out of the ACT, the Monaro Highway passes through sleepily rural territory, with Bredbo being the first settlement that can have a potshot at being called a town. There are a few accommodation options in Bredbo, plus the quirky Bredbo Christmas Barn and tasty Bredbo Pie Shop. Macenmist Black Truffles and Wines sells truffles and runs truffle hunts, too.
The Canberra to Cooma drive then passes the Bunyan Air Strip. The Canberra Gliding Club is based here, so keep an eye on the sky.
The town of Bunyan itself is effectively a suburb of Cooma, and hosts the Cooma Rodeo.
Where to stay in Cooma
The best Cooma accommodation picks are:
- For a solid motel with cheap rates: iMotel Cooma.
- For a heated indoor pool: Kinross Inn.
- To be within walking distance of restaurants: Nebula Motel.
Things to do in Cooma once you arrive include visiting the Snowy Mountains Hydro Discovery Centre and NSW State Correctional Gaol Museum.
More Canberra road trips
Canberra road trips: To New South Wales
Albury to Canberra: Distance 338km, driving time 3h47m.
Bathurst to Canberra: Distance 253km, driving time 3h13m.
Canberra to Batemans Bay: Distance 148km, driving time 2h.
Canberra to Bega: Distance 228km, driving time 2h41m.
Canberra to Bowral: Distance 170km, driving time 2h.
Canberra to Braidwood: Distance 87km, driving time 1h7m.
Canberra to Cowra: Distance 189km, driving time 2h23m.
Canberra to Cooma: Distance 116km, driving time 1h17m.
Canberra to Dubbo: Distance 399km, driving time 4h45m.
Canberra to Jindabyne: Distance 179km, driving time 2h3m.
Canberra to Merimbula: Distance 246km, driving time 3h.
Canberra to Narooma: Distance 224km, driving time 3h.
Canberra to Orange: Distance 279km, driving time 3h17m.
Canberra to Wagga Wagga: Distance 245km, driving time 2h47m
Canberra to Wollongong: Distance 244km, driving time 2h40m.
Canberra to Young, NSW: Distance 157km, driving time 1h50m.
Goulburn to Canberra: Distance 91km, driving time 1h5m.
Gundagai to Canberra: Distance 160km, driving time 1h48m.
Sydney to Canberra: Distance 286km, driving time 3h5m.
Yass to Canberra: Distance 60km, driving time 52m.
Canberra road trips to other states
Adelaide to Canberra: Distance 1,159km, driving time 12h12m.
Melbourne to Canberra: Distance 663km, driving time 7h7m.