Sydney, Australia, Advice

[seahappy08]

Hopefully we will be arriving in Sydney in October 22, on the Eclipse. We have been to Sydney twice before but this time would like to see Melbourne. We have about 7 days to explore. Would you hire a car and drive to Melbourne on the scenic route or fly there and hire a car or book trips in and around Melbourne?  We have looked online at journeys etc but would like advice from on the ground!

 

[LGW59]

24 minutes ago, seahappy08 said:

Hopefully we will be arriving in Sydney in October 22, on the Eclipse. We have been to Sydney twice before but this time would like to see Melbourne. We have about 7 days to explore. Would you hire a car and drive to Melbourne on the scenic route or fly there and hire a car or book trips in and around Melbourne?  We have looked online at journeys etc but would like advice from on the ground!

 

Isn’t Australia closed to international travel right now?

[Jim_Iain]

Good Guide to answer all your questions

 

https://sydneyexpert.com/driving-from-sydney-to-melbourne/

 

As other's have said the chances are very slim chance thatt Sydney will open their boarders in 2021.  Currently even residents are not permitted to go more than 5 Km from home and boarders between NSW and Victor states are closed without a special permit

[woodsmiths]

All international travel into and out of Australia is currently suspended (except for strictly defined reasons), but with vaccination rates escalating it is likely that cruising will have recommenced by October 2022.  

 

The original poster asks about driving from Sydney to Melbourne.  With only 7 days available to you, I would recommend flying to Melbourne from Sydney as the road drive is approximately 850 kilometres on the inland road, which is not particular scenic.  The coastal drive is a lot longer in distance and would potentially take 2 or 3 days.

 

Melbourne is a wonderful city to visit and you may want to maximise your time staying in the city and travelling to the surrounding hills, wine regions, coastal areas, etc.,  rather than spending an extensive amount of time driving from Sydney.

 

I hope that you get to enjoy your cruise next year.

 

[4774Papa]

1 hour ago, seahappy08 said:

Hopefully we will be arriving in Sydney in October 22, on the Eclipse. We have been to Sydney twice before but this time would like to see Melbourne. We have about 7 days to explore. Would you hire a car and drive to Melbourne on the scenic route or fly there and hire a car or book trips in and around Melbourne?  We have looked online at journeys etc but would like advice from on the ground!

 

We have visited Australia twice and did cruises at the beginning or end of our visit.

The first time, we stayed five days in Sydney and took in the nearby Blue Mountains one day and the wine country north of Sydney as well.  We didn't see all that we wanted on that trip.

The second time, we flew into Sydney, then immediately  flew to Melbourne and spend over a week in Melbourne, but that included a three day tour that included the Great Ocean Highway and the Penguins at Philip Island.  Also, we did another visit to a nearby wine area.

 

1) Don't even think of driving a car from Sydney to Melbourne, the distance by car is about 550 miles.  You would spent a full day just driving to get to Melbourne.

2) With only a week, you might be better off staying in one city.  If you divide your time, you would have about three days in each city.   Not enough time to do any day trips to must see places.  There is a bit more to do in Sydney with the Opera House, we did an opera there.  Also, a harbor cruise and city tour that included going to Bondi Beach.   In the city there are several great museums, as well as checking out the famous Harbor bridge. You can climb the bridge, it is expensive, or for a minimal fee go up to one of the bridge posts that is about 2/3 of the height of the top of the bridge.    In Melbourne,  you need about two days to see the key sites on a city tour.  Also, did lunch on the tram.

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, seahappy08 said:

Hopefully we will be arriving in Sydney in October 22, on the Eclipse. We have been to Sydney twice before but this time would like to see Melbourne. We have about 7 days to explore. Would you hire a car and drive to Melbourne on the scenic route or fly there and hire a car or book trips in and around Melbourne?  We have looked online at journeys etc but would like advice from on the ground!

 

 

We have been to Sydney twice as well and I can understand your desire to visit Melbourne.  The drive to Melbourne is very long if you wish to take the scenic coastal route.  So unless the seeing the coast is the objective, I would seriously recommend flying there.  

 

Good luck with either choice you end up making.

[The_Big_M]

Agree with the others above. You'll have a much better trip flying to Melbourne after arrival in Sydney. You can then choose if you want to rent a car or just take other tours in Melbourne.

 

Also, don't forget we drive on the left side of the road here, so with the drive option, you'd also be adjusting to that on your very first day of arrival.

Edited September 22, 2021 by The_Big_M

[mahdnc]

31 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

Agree with the others above. You'll have a much better trip flying to Melbourne after arrival in Sydney. You can then choose if you want to rent a car or just take other tours in Melbourne.

 

Also, don't forget we drive on the left side of the road here, so with the drive option, you'd also be adjusting to that on your very first day of arrival.

 

I believe the OP's home country also drives on the left side.

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, seahappy08 said:

Hopefully we will be arriving in Sydney in October 22, on the Eclipse. We have been to Sydney twice before but this time would like to see Melbourne. We have about 7 days to explore. Would you hire a car and drive to Melbourne on the scenic route or fly there and hire a car or book trips in and around Melbourne?  We have looked online at journeys etc but would like advice from on the ground!

 

I would look at options of flying into Melbourne rather than Sydney via the usual one stop. I think that Etihad does this a few times a week. There are lots of options of carriers on the Australia route, could be worth a bit of research. 

[seahappy08]

3 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Isn’t Australia closed to international travel right now?

Yes it is but by October 22 hopefully it will be open so I can think about planning trips next year.

[seahappy08]

3 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Good Guide to answer all your questions

 

https://sydneyexpert.com/driving-from-sydney-to-melbourne/

 

As other's have said the chances are very slim chance thatt Sydney will open their boarders in 2021.  Currently even residents are not permitted to go more than 5 Km from home and boarders between NSW and Victor states are closed without a special permit

But asking about 21. Asking about 22!

[seahappy08]

3 hours ago, woodsmiths said:

All international travel into and out of Australia is currently suspended (except for strictly defined reasons), but with vaccination rates escalating it is likely that cruising will have recommenced by October 2022.  

 

The original poster asks about driving from Sydney to Melbourne.  With only 7 days available to you, I would recommend flying to Melbourne from Sydney as the road drive is approximately 850 kilometres on the inland road, which is not particular scenic.  The coastal drive is a lot longer in distance and would potentially take 2 or 3 days.

 

Melbourne is a wonderful city to visit and you may want to maximise your time staying in the city and travelling to the surrounding hills, wine regions, coastal areas, etc.,  rather than spending an extensive amount of time driving from Sydney.

 

I hope that you get to enjoy your cruise next year.

 

Thanks for the advice, that is what I thought would be best to do.

[seahappy08]

2 hours ago, The_Big_M said:

Agree with the others above. You'll have a much better trip flying to Melbourne after arrival in Sydney. You can then choose if you want to rent a car or just take other tours in Melbourne.

 

Also, don't forget we drive on the left side of the road here, so with the drive option, you'd also be adjusting to that on your very first day of arrival.

We are from the Uk so no problem driving on the left for us. Aldi fully vaccinated.

[emmas gran]

Just seen this, our experience was about 5/6 years ago we drove from Adelaide to Sydney

Our trip was a visit to Margaret River area from Perth before a cruise from Fremantle to Sydney over the top and then we flew Sydney to Adelaide had 5 days touring the wine regions. We then drove back to Sydney visiting wine regions and calling for an overnight in Canberra before returning to Sydney.

We did this with 2 friends from Sydney and it was a memorable trip drinking some wonderful wines and some fabulous restaurants.

[GUT2407]

Will you be allowed in by Oct 22 is one thing, so make sure everything is refunadable if our borders are still shut by then.

 

But as to Fly or Drive Sydney to Melbourne it is about 12 hours solid driving time. And that is via the non-scenic route. So in reality you will use two of your seven days by the time you disembark, collect your car and get on the way.

 

my advice and I have driven that trip many times, is fly.

[seahappy08]

3 hours ago, GUT2407 said:

Will you be allowed in by Oct 22 is one thing, so make sure everything is refunadable if our borders are still shut by then.

 

But as to Fly or Drive Sydney to Melbourne it is about 12 hours solid driving time. And that is via the non-scenic route. So in reality you will use two of your seven days by the time you disembark, collect your car and get on the way.

 

my advice and I have driven that trip many times, is fly.

That is what I thought but our friends wanted to drive so we will have to show them all your tips. Thank you everyone you have been very helpful.

[GUT2407]

21 minutes ago, seahappy08 said:

That is what I thought but our friends wanted to drive so we will have to show them all your tips. Thank you everyone you have been very helpful.

Show them on a map of your country how far 1,000 km is and ask them if they’d drive that in the limited time you have:

[Orlando Vic]

As the others have suggested, fly to Melbourne. Use the city as a jumping off spot to visit the Great Ocean Road.