Melbourne to Morwell drive: Distance, time & best stops

The best stops on the Melbourne to Morwell drive include Gumbuya World, Warragul and Old Gippstown. By car, the distance from Melbourne to Morwell is 152km, with a 1h46m driving time.

Planning a Melbourne to Morwell road trip

The Melbourne to Morwell drive takes you from Victoria’s state capital to one of Gippsland’s more interesting Princes Highway towns.

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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Morwell’s primary attractions are the Gippsland Immigration Park and PowerWorks Energy Education Centre. For Morwell accommodation options, pick out the best bets here.

This guide should help drivers plan their perfect Melbourne to Morwell road trip itinerary.

Melbourne to Morwell distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Melbourne to Morwell is 152km. You can expect a driving time of around one hour and 46 minutes.

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.

The initial part of the drive takes you through south-western Melbourne. Attractions close to the Monash Freeway include the Chadstone shopping centre, Tirhatuan Park and the Melbourne Water Recreation Area.

Should you wish to, you can also walk the Dandenong Creek Trail and visit Churchill National Park or the Gunns Road Reserve.

Melbourne to Morwell road trip: Melbourne to Pakenham

By the Sweeney Reserve in Narre Warren, the Monash Freeway becomes the Princes Freeway, which skirts south of Pakenham, then redesignates as the Princes Highway.

After Pakenham, a short detour will take you to the Light Horse and Field Artillery Museum. Soon afterwards, the Gumbuya World theme park and Bunyip Native Sanctuary are right next to the highway.

The next sizable town is Drouin, where the main point of interest is the Drouin Golf and Country Club,

Melbourne to Morwell drive: Drouin to Trafalgar

Before you enter Warragul, you’ll pass near the Brandy Creek Estate winery, which is open for cellar door tastings.

Warragul hosts the Wild Dog Winery and the walks of the Mount Worth State Park are nearby.

For Warragul accommodation, plump for the child-friendly Warragul Gardens Holiday Park or the Comfort Inn and Suites.

The next town of interest along the Princes Highway is Trafalgar. Here, you might want to divert off the highway to see the Trafalgar Holden Museum, Uralla Nature Reserve or Mount Speed Lookout. You can also divert a little further to Narracan Falls – a great swimming spot.

Melbourne to Morwell: Trafalgar to Morwell

Before you reach Moe on the Warragul to Morwell leg of the drive, you’ll pass the Summit. This adventure park is more aimed at school groups than the general public, alas.

Moe attractions include Old Gippstown – a reconstructed township and open air museum – and the Moe Botanical Gardens.

After Moe comes Morwell.

Things to do in Morwell include exploring the Gippsland Immigration Park, which tells the story of immigration in the region. And, if you’re really into power stations, you can try the PowerWorks Energy Education Centre. It’s all about coal and electricity, but is very much a case of a power station trying to justify its existence by doing something community-minded.