Melbourne to Cobar road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The Melbourne to Cobar road trip covers a distance of 822km in around 9h3m. Top road trip stops to add to the itinerary include the wineries of Shepparton and Griffith.
The Melbourne to Cobar drive connects the capital of Victoria to a surprisingly quirky New South Wales outback mining town. For most travellers, this will be a leg on a longer road trip. The quickest route from Melbourne to Cairns or Melbourne to Townsville passes through this way.
Before leaving, you may want to tick Melbourne Cricket Ground tours, Yarra River dinner cruises and cross-city hot air balloon flights off your Melbourne wish list. To track down the best Melbourne accommodation rates, head here.
👇 7 great day trips while you’re in Melbourne 👇
- Great Ocean Road tour – with koalas 🐨.
- Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island tour – with penguins 🐧.
- Yarra Valley wine tour – with gin, cider and cheese 🍷.
- Grampians National Park tour – with bushwalks and LOADS of kangaroos 🦘.
- Mornington Peninsula tour – with hot springs bathing 🛀.
- Wilsons Promontory tour – with all manner of native wildlife 🦘🐨.
- Dandenong Ranges steam train ride – plus wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary and chocolate-tasting in the Yarra Valley.
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To secure the best Cobar accommodation deals, head here.
This guide should help you plan your Melbourne to Cobar road trip itinerary.
Melbourne to Cobar distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Melbourne to Cobar is 822km. This makes for a driving time of around nine hours and three minutes. Obviously, you’re going to need to make a few road trip stops along the way.
The first leg of the journey, from Melbourne to Shepparton, is 190km long, and passes through Victoria’s Goulburn Valley.
14 fantastic experiences that make the most of your free time in Melbourne
- Get the very best views – on a hot air balloon flight over the city.
- See the changing colours of the river – on a sunset kayaking tour – with dinner. (Highly recommended ✅)
- Feast and see the sights at the same time – on a four course dinner cruise along the Yarra River.
- A genuinely excellent street art tour, led by prominent street artists. (Highly recommended ✅)
- The also superb Aboriginal heritage, plants and bush food tour in the Botanic Gardens. (💲 Great value 💲)
- Best of Melbourne bike tour – you can see more on two wheels than walking.
- Hidden laneways bar crawl OR foodie discovery tour OR chocolate and dessert tour.
- Combo ticket for Australian Sports Museum and MCG tour.
- Hassle-dodging advance tickets for the Melbourne Skydeck, Melbourne Zoo, the Ice Bar (with cocktails) and Sea Life Aquarium.
Melbourne to Cobar road trip: Melbourne to Shepparton
Decent stops along the way which require little to no detour include the Mount Ridley Lookout in Craigieburn at the edge of the city sprawl, and the walking trails of Mount Disappointment.
There are also wineries such as the Trawool Estate around Tallarook, plus the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk and Seymour Railway Heritage Centre in Seymour.
It’s another 81km from Seymour to Shepparton, with Nagambie the best journey-breaker along the way. Take your pick from craft beers at the Nagambie Brewery or wine-tasting and Aboriginal art at the Mitchelton Winery.
Top Nagambie accommodation options
The best places to stay in Nagambie are:
- For a luxurious winery hotel: Mitchelton Hotel Nagambie.
- For a good quality lakeside motel: Nagambie Waterfront Motel.
- For a budget stay: Nagambie Caravan Park and Motel.
The best things to do in Shepparton include Aquamoves near Victoria Park Lake, the Shepparton Art Museum and the Lower Goulburn National Park.
Shepparton accommodation recommendations
These are the best places to stay in Shepparton.
- For grandeur and lake view rooms: Carrington Hotel.
- For a holiday park with lots of kid-friendly facilities: Big4 Shepparton Park Lane Holiday Park.
- For high quality apartments: Quest Shepparton.
- For a good value motel with a pool: Peppermill Inn Motel.
Melbourne to Cobar drive: Shepparton to Tocumwal
The next leg of the Melbourne to Cobar road trip crosses into New South Wales. It’s 265km from Shepparton to Griffith, a journey that should take around three hours and five minutes.
Before entering New South Wales, you might like to take a look at the massive collection of cacti at Cactus Country in Strathmerton, or go for a swim in the Murray River from Thompsons Beach in Cobram.
There are more river beaches in Tocumwal, where you join the Newell Highway.
The best accommodation in Tocumwal, NSW
The best places to stay in Tocumwal are:
- For a no-frills (but decent) motel with bargain rates: Tocumwal Hotel Motel.
- For a pool, gardens and golf: Tocumwal Golf Resort.
- For a family-friendly holiday park: Boomerang Way Tourist Park.
- For good value, free parking and a pool: Kingswood Motel.
Click through to the next section: Tocumwal to Griffith.