Road Tripping: Australia – Sydney to The Great Ocean Road

Last Updated on April 3, 2024 by Travelationship

A road trip across Australia can only be described as epic. It is also the only way you can get a sense of the scale of this country. We had seventeen days and a grand plan that had us traversing some 5,630 km (3,498 miles) and past as many landmarks as we thought we could manage. To give you some idea of the journey ahead, it would be like driving from LAX to JFK and then down to Charlotte, NC.

Sydney: Day 01 & Day 17

Sydney Opera House – Easily one of the most recognized buildings on the planet, the Sydney Opera House does not disappoint. The tour, history, and architecture are fascinating on their levels. I guarantee that the time you spend here will not let you down.

Bondi Beach—I have been on the fence about visiting this famous Sydney landmark. I can say that was just plain dumb. It is a fantastic beach and well deserving of its reputation. I am sure a local could send you to an even better, quieter stretch of sand, but why? Bondi Beach has a little something for everyone. We visited during their annual Sculpture by the Sea Bondi show, which made the experience more enjoyable.

Street Art – Melbourne may get all the press on this one, but Sydney is not a Slack job. We spent an enjoyable afternoon with the International Greeter Association, taking a tour of Sydney and her street art. The results were equal parts surprising and delightful. See more.

Hyde Park Barracks (Sydney Living Museums) – Convict architect Francis Greenway designed this UNESCO site. It was built in 1819 for convicts, men, and boys by convicts. It is one of Australia’s best examples of large-scale prisoner transport and colonial expansion. Outside of some buildings and the small museum, this site is mainly left to one’s imagination.

The drive from Sydney to Melbourne: Day 02

Driving from Sydney to Melbourne took the entire day, and it was not one of those drives that whizzed by. I swear I felt every minute of this one. Perhaps if you want to squeeze a little more time out in either of these cities, you could fly and pick up the rental car in Melbourne on your way out.

Melbourne: Day 03 & 04

Melbourne was quickly our favorite city on the trip. Even though Sydney was settled first, you can sense that all-too-familiar feeling of history as you walk the streets. Combine that with the outstanding food and ease of the city’s tram system, and you have everything you could want.

Eureka Skydeck 88—When explorers discovered new lands, looking for a high vantage point to survey the area was standard practice. That makes the Eureka Skydeck the perfect starting point for any visit to Melbourne. Get a jump-start on all of your fellow travelers and a sense of the lay of the land. Also, watch for interesting-looking areas you might want to explore more carefully. Learn more.

Old Melbourne Gaol—It is no secret that Australia started as a penal colony. If you want to see a small piece of that beginning, this is the place for you. If you are interested in Ned Kelly, Australia’s most famous folklore hero, you won’t want to miss this one. Learn more.

State Library of Victoria – Two primary things make this a don’t miss on your visit to Melbourne. The La Trobe Reading Room and the tower galleries feature Ned Kelly memorabilia, which houses his famous suit of armor.

Melbourne’s Art Scene

Street Art – The CBD is all the rage when researching Melbourne’s street art scene. You can still find good pieces here, but we discovered a fair number of them had been painted over with tagging, which was very disappointing. However, Fitzroy North, running along St Georges Road, showed us our best finds. We only wished we had found them sooner, as I feel there were lots more in the neighborhood; we just ran out of time.

The National Gallery of Victoria – is a fun and free museum that showcases an excellent selection of art. However, no new ground is being broken here, and your time would be better spent across the street in the parks, particularly the Shrine of Remembrance. Save your art museum for Adelaide. 

Hospitality in Melbourne

Quality Hotel Downtowner on Lygon—Located just outside the CBD in Carlton, this hotel is perfect for road trippers and budget-minded travelers. It has a private parking lot and is within a few minutes walk of numerous excellent restaurants, many tramlines, and the Old Melbourne Gaol.

Ying Thai 2 – On Lygon St, just up from the Quality Hotel Downtowner, serves the best Thai food we have had since Thailand. It is tasty and very popular with locals and travelers alike.

Universal Italian Restaurant – You will find a lively Italian restaurant across Lygon Street from Ying Thai 2. While the most popular dish seemed to be an Italian twist on chicken schnitzel, everything we saw looked great. Be warned they can get crowded, and the portions are pretty big.

Great Ocean Road: Day 05

Cape Otway Lightstation – This is Australia’s oldest and longest-running lighthouse. It is accessed off of the Great Ocean Road and is situated at the point of Cape Otway. The area was home to several disastrous shipwrecks, prompting the building of the light station in 1848. In 1994, the lighthouse was retired, and a new automatic LED was installed below the cliff. A small restaurant and museum are on-site to add to your visit. Keep your eye open on the drive to the light station, as this was the only place we saw koalas in the wild.

Twelve Apostles Marine National Park—This park Runs along 17 km (10.5 miles) of dramatic coastline and is named after the rock stacks lying just off its shore. Coastal trails lead you along much of the park, allowing for grand views of arches and pillars of stone rising into the sky.

Stay with us for the rest of our journey across the land down under.

See more photos on Flickr. Please look for us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!