Sydney to Young, NSW: Best road trip stops, distance & drive time
The best stops on a Sydney to Young road trip include Yass, Wagga Wagga and Young. By car, the distance from Sydney to Young is 372km and the driving time around 4h10m.
Planning a Sydney to Young road trip itinerary
A Sydney to Young road trip takes you from the international icon of New South Wales to country town famed for its cherries.
Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruises, behind-the-scenes tours of the Opera House and whale-watching cruises. Also worth looking at are helicopter flights over the harbour and coastline, jet boat thrill rides and historic walking tours.
To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.
For Young accommodation, search here.
This guide should help you plan your perfect Sydney to Young road trip itinerary.
Click through on the individual places and attractions for more detailed, specific information.
If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And don’t forget to do all your pre-road trip shopping.
Sydney to Young distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Sydney to Young is 372km. You can expect a driving time to Young from Sydney of around four hours and 10 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 fastest driving route leaves Sydney via the south-western suburbs along the Hume Motorway. It heads past the Macquarie Links International Golf Club and the Australian Botanic Garden en route to Campbelltown. Here, you can enjoy the Sambar Brown Lookout or the Campbelltown Steam and Machinery Museum.
Sydney to Young road trip: Campbelltown to Mittagong
The Sydney to Young road trip broadly follows the Nepean River on the way toward the Southern Highlands. It heads past Sydney Skydivers in Wilton, the Australian Wildlife Sanctuary at Bargo and the Nepean Dam before arriving in Mittagong.
Things to do in Mittagong include spotting birds at the Lake Alexandra Reserve and tasting wines at Tertini Wines.
Good places to stay in Mittagong include the decadent Fitzroy Inn Historic Retreat, the well-rated Grand Country Lodge Motel and the budget-friendly Highlands Hotel.
Sydney to Young drive: Mittagong to Goulburn
Nearby Bowral is a better base, though. It has stunning accommodation at the Berida Hotel and Milton Park, plus innovative wineries such as Centennial Vineyards. Cricket fans will lap up the Bradman Museum, while Fitzroy Falls or Belmore Falls in the nearby Morton National Park show off the region’s natural beauty.
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.
The Forest East Service Centre is the most common stop on the way to Goulburn, although nearby Sutton Forest Estate Wines can provide wines rather than fuel.
The Hume Motorway skirts the edge of Goulburn, but you can go into town to see the Big Merino, the Goulburn Rail Heritage Centre and the Goulburn Historic Waterworks.
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 to the next section: Goulburn to Yass