Road trips from Melbourne

Day 1

• Distance: 200km, round trip
• Approx. drive time: 3.5 hours

Melbourne to Black Spur and Marysville, return

• Start your day early in Melbourne with a quick drive to Healesville where you can make your first stop at the Healesville Sanctuary Wildlife Park.
• Take a scenic 40-minute trip on the Yarra Valley Railway for the chance to ride a heritage train.
• Continue driving along Maroondah Highway towards Marysville, stopping to take pictures of the world's tallest flowering trees, eucalyptus regnans.
• Stop for lunch in Buxton Bridge and dine in one of the local wineries.
• Once in Marysville take a break to stretch your legs and go bushwalking or check out the local flea market.
• Head home with the option to stop for more food along the Yarra Valley Wine Trail.

Day 1

• Distance: 306 km, round trip
• Approx. drive time: 4 hours

Melbourne to Inverloch, return

• Make the drive from Melbourne to start off the route in Cape Paterson where you can stop to see the rock pools, spend time at the beach and go snorkelling.
• Continue along the short 14km drive to Inverloch where you can go surfing, visit the Eagles' nest and find fossils.
• Return to Melbourne.

Day 1

• Distance: 256km
• Approx. drive time: 4 hours

Melbourne to Mount Baw Baw

• Start in Melbourne and drive to the beginning of the Grand Ridge Road, Seaview where you'll begin to see the Strzelecki Ranges.
• Continue to Hallston where you can grab a bite for lunch before moving on to Mount Baw Baw where you can go hiking, mountain biking and more.
• Spend the night at Mount Baw Baw.

Day 2

• Distance: 299km
• Approx. drive time: 4 hours and 10 minutes

Mount Baw Baw to Melbourne

• Head to Tarra Bulga National Park and spend time bushing walking, discover waterfalls and have a picnic.
• Take the same route back for even more views of the scenery to Melbourne.

Day 1

• Distance: 289km
• Approx. drive time: 3 hours and 11 minutes

Wangaratta to Beechworth

• Start your day early as the first drive from Melbourne is 251km along the M31 to Wangaratta.
• From Wangaratta make stops in Milawa or Rutherglen, both top foodie destinations for lunch.
• Continue on to Beechworth to spend the night but first see the 19th century town of Chiltern.

Day 2

• Distance: 210km
• Approx. drive time: 4 hours

Beechworth to Dinner Plain

• Spend the morning exploring Beechworth's gold rush history or strolling and shopping the Victorian era streets.
• Drive through Ovens Valley to Bright
• Make a detour to Mount Buffalo National Park for hiking and nature, be sure to drive to The Horn for unbeatable panoramic views.
• Finish the day and the spend the night in Dinner Plain.

Day 3

• Distance: 165 km
• Approx. drive time: 2 hours and 10 minutes

Dinner Plain to Metung

• Take the morning to hike or cross-country ski depending on the season.
• Head onwards to Omeo, a gold mining town and the ideal location to capture epic views of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's tallest peak
• Stop for lunch in Swift's Creek and drive along Tambo River and through the countryside to Metung.
• Spend the afternoon exploring the 600-sq km of the Gippsland Lakes by foot, car or horseback.
• Base yourself in Metung for the night.

Day 4

• Distance: 396km
• Approx. drive time: 5 hours and 50 minutes

Metung to Melbourne

• Take a bit more time to explore the Gippsland Lakes or opt to get on the road early back to Melbourne.
• The most direct route back is via the M1.

Day 1

• Distance: 142km
• Approx. drive time: 2 hours

Melbourne to Lorne

• Get going early with a 1.5 hour drive to Ballarat where you can spend half a day exploring Sovereign Hill, a living museum that recreates the town from the gold rush.
• For lunch head to Torquay, relax by the beach and perhaps try a surf lesson.
• Hit the road once more to Lorne for dinner and to spend the night.

Day 2

• Distance: 103km
• Approx. drive time: 2 hours

Lorne to Apollo Bay

• Make a stop in Kennett River where you can spot birds and koalas hanging out in the trees.
• Next head to Cape Otway National Park where you can climb through the trees and visit the Cape Otway Lighthouse.
• Lastly make your way back to the seaside town of Apollo Bay to spend the afternoon kayaking in the ocean and enjoying the nightlife.
• Spend the night in Apollo Bay.

Day 3

• Distance: 187km
• Approx. drive time: 2 hours, 40 minutes

Apollo Bay to Port Fairy

• Hit the road early to avoid heavy crowds at the top attractions like the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge, The Grotto and Loch Ard Gorge or opt to see the sites from above.
• Grab lunch in Port Campbell.
• At Logan's Beach between May and October you can see southern right whales.
• Take a quick stop in Warrnambool to visit Flagstaff Hill, a 19th-century historical village.
• Spend the night in Port Fairy.

Day 4-5

• Distance: 176km
• Approx. drive time: 2.5 hours (varies depending on which attractions visited)

Port Fairy to Grampians National Park

• Make you way to Halls Gap where you can base yourself for 2 nights.
• Visit attractions in the park such as The Pinnacle, MacKenzie Falls, The Balconies, Boroka Lookout to see Indigenous art.

Day 6

• Distance: 203km
• Approx. drive time: 2 hours 50 minutes

Grampians National Park to Mount Gambier

• Start your time in South Australia by visiting sites such as Blue Lake, Umpherston Sinkhole and Naracoorte Caves National Park (extra 1-hour drive).
• Snorkelling and diving are options here too.
• Spend the night in Mount Gambier.

Day 7

• Distance: 454km
• Approx. drive time: 5 hours

Mount Gambier to Victor Harbor

• Take an easy morning relaxing before heading off to Robe, a resort town located on the seaside where you can grab lunch, stop to walk along the water, shop at boutiques or golf.
• Continue onwards to Victor Harbor and spend the night.

Day 8-9

• Distance: 163km
• Approx. drive time: 3 hours

Victor Harbor to Kangaroo Island

• Head to Cape Jervis to catch the ferry to Kangaroo Island.
• Spend the rest of the day and the next exploring the island with stops at sites such as Flinders Chase National Park, the Remarkable Rocks, Seal Bay, beaches, wildlife parks, quad biking and enjoy the food.
• Spend 2 nights on the island.

Day 10

• Distance: 210km
• Approx. drive time: 3 hours, 40 minutes

Kangaroo Island to Adelaide

• Once back on the mainland make one final stop in McLaren Vale where you can opt to have lunch, try some wines or choose to stay longer and enjoy the McLaren Good and Wine Trail.
• A 40-minute drive will deliver you to Adelaide.