Melbourne to Brisbane Drive

The Melbourne to Brisbane Drive

2,610 km | 28 hr drive | 30 days

The Melbourne to Brisbane Drive (or Brisbane to Melbourne Drive) takes in half of the East Coast of Australia. With all the stops it adds up to 2,600 km. To put this in perspective, Edinburgh to Istanbul is 2,280 km and New York City to Los Angeles is 2,780 km. 

Daily drive times average around 3 hours per day. We have suggested places where you might wish to spend more time. If you take us up on these suggestions (and we hope you do!) you'll add a few days to your itinerary as well as memories that will last a lifetime

Keep scrolling for the Brisbane to Melbourne itinerary.

Phillip Island

Itinerary Melbourne to Brisbane Drive

PART ONE - Melbourne to Sydney Drive

This is the coastal drive. If you'd like to combine some coast with mountains and Canberra (Australia's capital) consider taking the Mountain and Coastal Melbourne to Sydney Drive.

• Day 1 & 2: Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula – 100  km | 1.5 hrs
• Day 3 & 4: Phillip Island –  145 km | 2 hr
  
• Day 5 & 6: Wilsons Prom – 140 km | 2 hrs
• Day 7: Gippsland Lakes  –  277 km | 3 hr 45 m
• Day 8 & 9: Croajingolong National Park, Mallacoota and Merimbula – 368 km | 5.5 hrs
• Day 10 & 11: Pigeon House Mountain climb and 4 National Parks – 313 km | 5 hrs
• Day 12: Booderee National Park – no driving
• Day 13: Sea Cliff Bridge and Nan Tien Temple  – 170 km | 3 hrs
• Day 14: Royal National Park – no driving
• Day 15 - 17: Sydney – 36 km | 45 m

PART TWO - Sydney to Brisbane Drive

• Day 18: Sydney to the Hunter Valley - 165 km or 388 km | 3 hr
  Optional 2 days: Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks - 388 km | 5 hr 45 m 
• Day 19 - 20: Hunter Valley to Myall Lakes - 242 km | 3.5 hrs 
• Day 21 - 23: Myall Lakes to Dorrigo National Park - 362 km | 4 hr 20 m
• Day 24 - 25: Dorrigo National Park to Byron Bay - 373 km | 4 hr 
• Day 26 - 28: Byron Bay to the Gold Coast - 200 km | 3 hr 15 m 
• Say 29 - 30: Gold Coast to Brisbane  (via Springbrook and Lamington National Parks) - 215 km | 4 h

Itinerary Brisbane to Melbourne Drive

• Day 1 - 2: Brisbane - Gold Coast (via Springbrook and Lamington National Parks) - 215 km | 4 h
• Day 3 - 4: Gold Coast - Byron Bay - 200 km | 3 h 15 m
• Day 5 - 7: Byron Bay - Dorrigo National Park - 373 km | 4 h
• Day 8 - 9: Dorrigo National Park - Myall Lakes - 362 km | 4 h 20 m
• Day 10 - 11: Myall Lakes - Hunter Valley - 242 km | 3.5 hrs 
• Day 12: Hunter Valley - Sydney - 165 km or 388 km | 3 - 5 hrs
  Optional 2 days: Blue Mountains and Wollemi National Parks - 388 km | 5 h 45 m 

PART FOUR - Sydney to Melbourne Drive

This is the coastal itinerary. If you'd prefer to take in Canberra and its museums as well as the Snowy Mountains and Alpine National Parks, take the Mountain and Coastal Sydney to Melbourne Drive.

• Day 13 - 15: Sydney
• Day 16: Royal National Park – 
• Day 17: Sea Cliff Bridge and Nan Tien Temple – 93 km | 1 h 25 min
• Day 18 - 19: Booderee National Park – 88 km | 1 hr 25 min
• Day 19 - 20: Pigeon House Mountain climb and 4 National Parks – 210 km | 3.5 hrs
• Day 21 - 22: Merimbula to Mallacoota and Croajingolong National Park – 260 km | 3.5 hrs
• Day 23: Gippsland Lakes – 350 km | 4 hr 40 min
• Day 24 - 25: Wilsons Prom – 227 km | 3 hrs
• Day 26 - 27: Phillip Island – 135 km | 2 hrs
• Day 28 - 29: Mornington Peninsula – 144 km | 2 hr
  
• Day 30: Melbourne - 76 km | 1 hr

Melbourne to Brisbane Map

There are more detailed maps for each stop on the itinerary.