Canberra to Mudgee road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The best stops on a Canberra to Mudgee road trip are the Abercrombie Caves, Bathurst and Sofala. By car, the distance from Canberra to Mudgee is 380km. That makes for a driving time of around 4h44m.
A Canberra to Mudgee road trip takes you from the capital of Australia to one of the top wine regions in New South Wales.
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.
Mudgee, meanwhile, brings private wine tours, hot air balloon rides over the vineyards and opal-polishing workshops. To find suitable Mudgee accommodation for the occasion, investigate here.
This guide should help you plan your perfect Canberra to Mudgee road trip itinerary.
Click through on the individual places and attractions for more detailed, specific information.
If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And don’t forget to do all your pre-road trip shopping.
Canberra to Mudgee distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Canberra to Mudgee is 380km. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and 44 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.
Canberra to Mudgee road trip: Canberra to Abercrombie Caves
The quickest route from Canberra to Mudgee leaves Canberra along the Federal Motorway. However, you don’t stay on it for long – head north along Sutton Road through Sutton and Gundaroo. The McLeods Creek Nature Reserve is of possible interest here, but most will continue towards Gunning.
In Gunning, the Pye Cottage Museum in Gunning takes you back in time to the 1860s.
The next town of any size along the route is Crookwell, which has a caravan park and not much else. You’ll also pass between the Keverstone State Conservation Area and Nuggetty State Conservation Area.
The top road trip attraction on the Canberra to Bathurst leg of the drive, however, comes just before Trunkey Creek. Here, the Abercrombie Caves are arguably just as impressive as the much better-known Jenolan Caves near Oberon.
Canberra to Mudgee drive: Bathurst attractions
Just before entering Bathurst, you’ll pass 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.
Attractions in Bathurst include Abercrombie House and the Bathurst Rail Museum. You can also try private luxury wine tours and jet fighter flights.
If you’re looking for Bathurst accommodation with a twist, Rydges Bathurst is right next to the race track.
Click through for the next section: Sofala Road.