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

The best stops on a Marulan to Canberra road trip include Goulburn and the Weereewa Lookout. By car, the distance from Marulan to Canberra is 122km, with a driving time of around 1h23m.

The Marulan to Canberra drive takes you to the Australian capital.

It’s an easy enough drive to complete in one stint, although you may wish to make a few scenic stops along the way.

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.

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.

This guide is aimed at helping travellers plan their perfect Marulan to Canberra road trip itinerary.

Click through on the links for more detailed links about individual towns and attractions – and remember to stock up on your road trip essentials before setting off.

Marulan to Canberra distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Marulan to Canberra is 122km. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 23 minutes. Obviously, that will be longer if you make a stop or two along the way.

Marulan is largely known for its large service station – a popular stop on the Sydney to Canberra drive.

You turn off the Hume for Canberra at Goulburn, home of the Big Merino, the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre and the Goulburn Historic Waterworks.

Marulan to Canberra road trip: Hume Highway to Canberra

The two best stops on the Goulburn to Canberra leg of the drive are beside Lake George. The Lerida Estate winery offers wine-tasting opportunities and the Weereewa Lookout majors in photogenic views over the lake.

The Federal Highway then continues past Bywong, before entering the Australian Capital Territory next to the Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve. The Mount Majura Nature Reserve comes up shortly on your left. Then, before you get into properly urban Canberra, there are the Canberra Showground, Thoroughbred Park and Yowani Country Club on the right.

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.

What to do in Canberra

Once in Canberra, there’s loads to do. Suggestions include…

Go hot air ballooning across the city.
Learn how the city was designed at the National Capital Exhibition.
Taste local drinks on a winery and distillery tour.
Putter around Lake Burley-Griffin on a GoBoat.
Let the kids loose at interactive science museum Questacon.
Discover the wealth of artworks at Australia’s Parliament House.
Learn about the first Australians on a special tour of the National Museum of Australia.
Take an Aboriginal-guided tour at the National Arboretum.
See wildlife at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve.
Discover Australia’s role in space research at the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex.

Canberra accommodation picks include the backpacker-friendly Village hostel, the Gatsby-tinged Deco Hotel and the handily central apartments of A by Adina.