The 285-kilometre, three-hour drive between Sydney and Canberra is an easy trip but can become dull if the only stops you take are to refuel at a servo. Knowing where to stop and what to do can make this drive an adventure in its own right.
Here are four essential stops on the drive between Sydney and Canberra to bring fun and flavour to your trip.
Antique hunting
If you enjoy antique shopping and bargain hunting, then exploring the villages of the Southern Highlands are a must. Berrima, Bowral, Mittagong and Moss Vale are crammed with antique shops where you can find unique treasures including jewellery, furniture, musical instruments and fashion pieces. Dirty Jane’s Bowral, Lydie du Bray Antiques in Braemar and Mittagong Antiques Centre are great places to start.
Stop for a meal in Goulburn
Turn off the Federal Highway and head to Collector, where you’ll find the Bushranger Hotel, the Lynwood Café and the Trapper Bakery. If you consider yourself a foodie, a stop at the Lynwood Café is essential. London’s Guardian newspaper placed it in the world’s top five restaurants in great locations and it boasts a generous menu ranging from salads, polenta, bangers and mash, to tarts and duck liver pate.
Once known for the shooting of Constable Nelson by Ben Hall and his gang of outlaws in 1865, the Bushranger Hotel is now a great stop for a local feed. If you’re in a rush, duck into the Trappers Bakery, where you can grab pastries, desserts, a coffee and, of course, a really good meat pie.
Natural wonders
Drive to Moss Vale next and then take the Nowra Road to visit one of the area’s natural beauties Fitzroy Falls in the Morton National Park.
Stop off at the visitors’ centre first to learn about the Aboriginal history of the area and then it’s just a short walk links the centre to the falls.
It’s also an ideal base to explore the lush escarpment country of the Southern Highlands between Robertson and Nowra.
There are plenty of signed walks and a picnic area as well.
Eat local
After a hard day of antique hunting, menu sampling and gazing at waterfalls, there’s no better place to have a local meal than Gundaroo, nestled on the bank of the Yass River.
The National Trust Royal Hotel now houses a Grazing restaurant, which has brought the historic town to life. It’s the perfect place to taste and celebrate local produce and wines.
Do you drive between Canberra and Sydney frequently? Are there any other stops you would recommend to readers? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Five quick tips for your dream US road trip
