Holbrook to Canberra road trip: Best stops, distance and drive time

The best stops on a Holbrook to Canberra road trip are Gundagai, Jugiong and Yass. By car, the distance from Holbrook to Canberra is 275km, with a driving time of 3h1m.

Planning a Holbrook to Canberra road trip itinerary

The Holbrook to Canberra drive brings you to Australia’s national capital.

Holbrook in New South Wales is a small town on the Hume Highway. It can be used as a base for visiting Woomargama National Park. For Holbrook accommodation deals, hunt here.

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.

Save money – book Canberra accommodation here, now

This guide should help you plan the perfect Holbrook to Canberra road trip itinerary. For more information on individual towns and activities, click on the links for further detail.

Holbrook to Canberra distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Holbrook to Canberra is 275km. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and one minute.

Near Holbrook, Woomargama National Park provides a pleasant diversion if you’re in search of wildlife and walking trails.

Next stop Gundagai offers the Australian Road Transport Heritage Centre and high quality, distinctive 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.

Holbrook to Canberra drive: Jugiong and Yass

Then Jugiong on the Murrumbidgee River is the perfect lunch stop, with several good places to eat – most notably the Long Track Pantry.

Yass, however, is arguably the better overnight stop as it is near several Canberra region wineries. Canberra Winery Tours offers pick-ups in Yass.

For Yass accommodation, try the handily downtown Yass Central Bed and Breakfast and the well-reviewed Colonial Lodge Motor Inn.

Holbrook to Canberra road trip: The Barton Highway

Alternatively, just drive from Yass to Canberra along the Barton Highway. On the way in, you’ll go near several Canberra region wineries around Murrumbateman. These include Eden Road Wines, Shaw Wine and Clonakilla.

On the way into central Canberra, three attractions cluster together by the highway. The Canberra Reptile Zoo, National Dinosaur Museum and Cockington Green – essentially a model village – can fill a few hours.

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.

Things to do in Canberra include hot air ballooning, checking out the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex and touring Australia’s Parliament House. You can also head around Lake Burley-Griffin on a GoBoat and see wildlife at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.

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.