Canberra to Narrandera, NSW: Best road trip stops, distance & drive time

The best stops on a Canberra to Narrandera road trip include Yass and Wagga Wagga. By car, the distance from Canberra to Narrandera is 338km and the driving time around 3h56m.

Canberra to Narrandera road trip itinerary

A Canberra to Narrandera road trip takes you from the Australian capital to a surprisingly arty country town surrounded by natural attractions.

Canberra offers native wildlife and bird tours, 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.

Narrandera brings gigantic artworks and lots of koalas. For the best Narrandera accommodation deals, look this way.

There are, however, plenty of good places on the way to add to a Canberra to Narrandera road trip itinerary.

Canberra to Narrandera distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Canberra to Narrandera is 338km. You can expect a driving time to Narrandera from Canberra of around three hours and 56 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.

The first leg of this drive is from Canberra to Yass along the Barton Highway. There are a few wineries you can stop at along the way, including Clonakilla in Murrumbateman. Things to do in Yass include learning about early pastoralists at Cooma Cottage.

Canberra to Narrandera road trip: Yass to Jugiong

The route from Canberra to Cootamundra joins the Hume Highway just outside Yass, and continues on towards Jugiong.

Jugiong has a delightful location on the Murrumbidgee River, and the Long Track Pantry is arguably the top spot for lunch on the Canberra to Cootamundra drive.

Canberra to Narrandera drive: Gundagai to Oura

After Jugiong comes Gundagai. The Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre is the main attraction here, and there’s some quality, quirky accommodation nearby at the Nimbo Fork Lodge or Kimo Estate.

Where to stay in Gundagai

The best Gundagai accommodation options are:

For a decent, cheap motel: Poets Recall Motel.
For family cabins and a playground: Gundagai Cabins and Tourist Park.
For central location: Garden Motor Inn.

Shortly after Gundagai, you need to turn off down the Nangus Road. This becomes the Oura Road, which skirts close to the river at the brilliantly-named Wantabadgery.

Wantabadgery is home to one of the best beaches on the Murrumbidgee River – the less brilliantly-named Sandy Beach.

There’s another beach to enjoy at Oura, a small riverside village just east of Wagga Wagga. Once you’ve had a dip at Oura Beach, you can visit the Wild Vine Vineyard. This Wagga Wagga winery is a popular wedding venue, but you can still do tastings at the cellar door.

Canberra to Narrandera road trip: Wagga Wagga to Narrandera

The Gundagai to Wagga Wagga leg of the drive also goes past Eunonyhareenyha Wines before crossing the Murrumbidgee River and entering Wagga.

Just after the river crossing, you can make the short detour to Wagga Beach, the most famous inland beach in Australia.

Wagga Wagga accommodation recommendations

For business: International Hotel Wagga Wagga.
For a pool and city centre location: Townhouse Hotel.
For character: Charles Boutique Hotel.
For riverside location: Prince of Wales Motor Inn.
For family cabins: Ingenia Holidays Wagga Wagga.

You leave Wagga Wagga along Sturt Highway, which largely follows the Murrumbidgee River. Kolhagens Beach is another good river beach along the way from Wagga Wagga to Narrandera.

On the outskirts of Narrandera, the Koala Reserve is one of the best places in Australia for spotting koalas.

Other things to do in Narrandera include kayaking on the Rocky Waterholes, admiring the giant mural on the Narrandera Water Tower and taking a self-guided walking tour of the town’s heritage buildings.

Narrandera accommodation picks include Bishops Lodge, which has a small pool, and the Camellia Motel.