Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Driving SYD-MEL on the coast route - need suggestions hotel/city for halfway point

Hi All:

We'll be traveling from Sydney to Melbourne via the coast route, and we plan to do the drive over 2 days - leaving on April 1st early AM out of Sydney. We need suggestions on which city along the route to stop for the evening, have a nice dinner and a hotel to stay in. I'm fine with 7-9 hours of driving on the first day.

Even city suggestions as stopovers will be helpful. I can do research online if need be. After a city choice, a hotel recoomendation would be most helpful - preferably a 3-4 star property (something like a Sheraton, 4 points, Hyatt, Hilton or Westin in terms of amenities and service - saving that - something clean and comfortable :) ). Restaurant suggestions would be a nice plus.

Thanks!

- T

If reasonable driving time per day and few stops you need the 2 days. Would need to overnight at Bermagui or Bega or Eden or similar, or else it will be a long day into Melbourne on the second day..

Very few, if any, 3-4 star properties like a Sheraton, 4 points, Hyatt, Hilton or Westin down the coast. Pick a town and then to go to www.yellowpages.com.au to search for hotels – motels. Or go to www.wotif.com.au and pick a town or South Coast NSW. There are resort style beach accomadation in some towns. Don’t have high expectations for accommodations in this area.

You can put syd-eden-mel in this link map directions (http://www.whereis.com/whereis/directionsLocation.do?ref=homeDir) to give distance's. Use the "add stop" feature - Eden, NSW. Most of the road is single lane, so 90 km/hr is a good speed for many area's.

It’s a better drive than direct down the Hume highway

The coast route is remarkably undeveloped, do not expect much in the way of organized tourist facilities (like hotel chains or expensive restaurants). It is a bit like Hwy 1 in California (though that is undeveloped by policy, courtesy of the coastal commission). Best to find and book a B&B well in advance, there isn't much good accomodation along this route. It is a nice way to go, but MEL-ADL is considerably better than SYD-MEL.

Merimbula is about the halfway point on the coastal route between Sydney and Melbourne. Don't expect any Sheraton or similar hotels anywhere on your route - you won't find that type of hotel, but you'll find clean and comfortable motels without too many frills.

I can recall some years ago having a pleasant evening meal at the Pambula/Merimbula golf club which overlooked the course there. The kangaroos grazed on the fairways.

You can book in advance at www.wotif.com.au

David Bennetts

Man, you're keen. The last time I drove SYD-MEL-SYD it was via the Hume, and we did it in record time.

Departed Newcastle at 04:15 and sat down for lunch @ Crown Casina @ 13:32. That was with a stop for breakfast.


'Increase to ludicrous speed!'

Yeah, we tried the land speed record on the Hume last year - damned police made us stop - something about doing slightly more than the posted speed limit :eek:

I stayed in Eden when I did it 10 years ago but I was coming from Melbourne. I stayed at the pub on the main drag. A$20 from memory with an absolute killer view.