Sydney to Canberra road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
A Sydney to Canberra road trip covers a distance of 286km, with a driving time of around three hours and two minutes. Top stops to add to the road trip itinerary include Campbelltown, Bowral and Goulburn.
A Sydney to Canberra road trip connects Australia’s most popular city with its underrated capital.
Sydney offers romantic harbour cruises, historic pub tours and visits behind the scenes of the world’s most famous opera house. To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this 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.
Sydney to Canberra distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Sydney to Canberra is 286km. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and six minutes.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
The first leg is the 197km drive from Sydney to Goulburn, initially along the M5, which becomes the Hume Motorway around Casula. It’s only when you get to Campbelltown that you feel properly out of the city. The Smiths Creek Reserve here is the best place to see koalas near Sydney.
The Sydney to Goulburn drive then passes Douglas Park, Wilton, Pheasants Nest, Yanderra and Yerrinbool before reaching the Southern Highlands.
Sydney to Canberra road trip: Southern Highlands attractions
If taking a slow road trip, the Southern Highlands is a highly enticing region to explore. The highway skims Mittagong and Berrima, but the best base is Bowral. Here, there’s great accommodation such as the Berida Hotel and Milton Park, plus innovative wineries such as Centennial Vineyards. Cricket fans will adore the Bradman Museum, while Fitzroy Falls or Belmore Falls in the Morton National Park are also nearby.
5 great Southern Highlands experiences to boost your visit
- Personalised private Southern Highlands wine and attractions tours – tailored to your tastes.
- Tutored wine-tasting and canapes experience.
- Beekeeping experience – learn how honey is made.
- Guided wine-tasting at the Mill – with tasting notes procided.
- Behind the scenes tour of a sustainable winery in Berrima.
Sydney to Canberra drive: Sutton Forest and Goulburn
After the Sydney to Bowral leg of the drive, the main stop is the Sutton Forest East Service Centre. This motorway services pulls in a startling number of people – timing-wise, it’s pretty much bang on where a driver’s rest break should kick in.
You can, however, pay a visit to the neighbouring Sutton Forest Estate Wines.
There’s another services at Marulan before facing the choice of going into Goulburn or not.
If you stop for a coffee break in Goulburn, or to get a photo of the Big Merino, then it’s not too much further to the Australian capital. The route to Canberra branches off the Hume Highway shortly after Goulburn, joining the Federal Highway at Yarra.
Best places to stay in Goulburn
The top Goulburn accommodation choices are:
- For good quality, business traveller-friendly apartments: Quest Goulburn.
- For a cheap, decent motel for a no-fuss one night stay: Black Sheep Motel.
- For road-tripper convenience next to the Hume Highway: Mercure Goulburn.
- For free parking in the city centre: Heritage Motor Inn.
Click through for the next section: The Federal Highway.