road trip sydney to canberra

The Sydney to Canberra run is an easy 3–3.5 hours down the M31 Hume and M23 Federal Highway, about 290 km if you don’t detour for snacks.

Tolls out of Sydney sting a bit, but the cruise is smooth—watch for highway patrol and the odd camera where the limit drops. Classic stops? Bowral/Berrima for a pie, the Big Merino in Goulburn for a sheepish selfie, and the Lake George lookout when it’s pretending to be a lake. Winter can throw fog and roos near Lake George, so keep the eyes peeled. EVs are sorted with fast chargers in Goulburn and plenty in Canberra. Pack water, a good playlist, and the willpower to ignore every tempting bakery—good luck with that.