Hi guys,

because I need to get some miles on my car I have decided to drive down to Melbourne to watch some of the Australian Open Tennis. I would like some ideas on the best way to drive back to Sydney from Melbourne. Is it better to go coast road or high country, and where should we stop off for visits and/or B&B stays. Happy to spread the journey over a couple of days if there is stuff worth visiting.

Cheers,
640Newton 2008 TDV8, Stornoway Grey with Alpaca premium leather, Adaptive cruise, Adaptive Bi-xenons, sunroof, Premium Nav, Premium ICE Logic 7, telephone, active locking rear diff, console coolbox, seat memory, powerfold mirrors, tow pack, window tint, dual battery, engel fridge, Goodyear Mud-Terrain tyres.

if you go the coast road, mr and mrs Ivery may offer you a cup of tea I do like the South NSW coast, so you could head down via Batemans Bay, Eden or come back that way , or both.. I find the Hume pretty boring.. Another Pommie Bar Steward down under

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Hey 640,

I did the coast road in Nov 2008 - great drive, and did an overnight in Eden. There are a few towns around that distance that will make a good overnight spot. Although they may be a bit on the quiet side!

You can just do the Hume in a day, but as Zilch says its booooring!

How long are you in town for - you fully booked up, or time for a catch up?

2R?

We'll be coming down the quick & boring route (via the Hume) on the Saturday as we have a hotel booked in Melbourne for Saturday night. We're then going to the daytime session at the tennis on Sunday. We'll head out of Melbourne Sunday afternoon and find a B&B somewhere not too far out of Melbourne then spend Monday & Tuesday heading back up to Sydney via whichever works out to be the best/most interesting/most recommended route. 2008 TDV8, Stornoway Grey with Alpaca premium leather, Adaptive cruise, Adaptive Bi-xenons, sunroof, Premium Nav, Premium ICE Logic 7, telephone, active locking rear diff, console coolbox, seat memory, powerfold mirrors, tow pack, window tint, dual battery, engel fridge, Goodyear Mud-Terrain tyres.

There is the Monaro Hwy via ACT. A few km shorter than the coast but not near as boring as the Hume.
You will probably need to make up your mind as to which route you will use before booking the B&B as the Hume goes out of Melbourne to the north and the Princes/ Princes-Monaro routes exit Melbourne to the east. From the City both ways are freeway (tollway) and take you well beyond the metro area (if not the border).
The Princes-Monaro route has some longish stretches of nothing (eg Cann River to Bombala) but varies from heavy wooded forrest (with not too many sharpish bends) to Open farming land to the wide open spaces of the Monaro Plains to well the place we all love to hate: Canberra. The coastal and Monaro routes offer many different and wide ranging accommodation options. You go through far more towns/Cities on these routes than the Hume.
Try:
http://www.gippslandtourism.com.au/ (for eastern Vic)
or
http://www.sapphirecoast.com.au/ (for south coast NSW)
or
http://www.visitnsw.com/area/Cooma_and_Surrounds.aspx

If you have the Sport and want to do it the rough way you can try Princes hwy etc to Buchan (Home of Buchan Caves) then beyond along the Barry Way to Jindabyne. (Dirt road most of the way Buchan to Jindabyne). It can be tough in the wet but I have seen a small beemer do it with only a few probs with grounding out. (but an x5 would probably have the same prob )
Hope this helps. --------------------------------------------------------
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Just thought I'd give a quick update following my trip over the weekend.

Saturday - drove from Sydney to Melbourne via Albury, which is the standard fairly broing route.
Sunday - drove from Melbourne to Echuca on the VIC/NSW border. Some nice scenery on that leg.
Monday - drove from Echuca to Gulgong via central NSW - Deniliquin, West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes & Wellington.
Tuesday - drove from Gulgong to Sydney via Ulan, Broke, Wollombi, Central Mangrove.

Total distance travelled - 2,322 km

I can highly recommend this general trip as you really get to see some very distinctive and varied Australian countryside. 2008 TDV8, Stornoway Grey with Alpaca premium leather, Adaptive cruise, Adaptive Bi-xenons, sunroof, Premium Nav, Premium ICE Logic 7, telephone, active locking rear diff, console coolbox, seat memory, powerfold mirrors, tow pack, window tint, dual battery, engel fridge, Goodyear Mud-Terrain tyres.

You don't have kids right ?  
L 405 2013 FFRR 5.0 SC
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I do but we packed her off to the grandparents for 4 days so we didn't have to worry!!  2008 TDV8, Stornoway Grey with Alpaca premium leather, Adaptive cruise, Adaptive Bi-xenons, sunroof, Premium Nav, Premium ICE Logic 7, telephone, active locking rear diff, console coolbox, seat memory, powerfold mirrors, tow pack, window tint, dual battery, engel fridge, Goodyear Mud-Terrain tyres.