One of the best drives in Australia is the winding road called the Princes Highway that snakes along the south coast of NSW, crossing into Victoria before heading west to Melbourne. Better still, there are numerous detours (some longer than others!) that allow you to really explore the south east of Australia, while still having that end goal in sight.  

Whether your journey takes a couple of days or a couple of weeks, you’ll reap rewards in the beautiful scenery, charming towns and villages, and sense of peace and relaxation the trip will give you.  

Sydney to the border 

The journey really starts as you kick off that urban smog and traffic south of Wollongong when the highway narrows to one lane. You start to smell the sea air and the pace turns lazy. The countryside bordering the road is green and lush (yes, even in this drought!) as you pass the cute shops of Berry, and go round the bends past Kiama.  

There are glimpses of long golden beaches, surf and the sea. And then, as you approach Batemans Bay, the forest starts to crowd the road, with tall elegant eucalypts stretching up to the sky. Forest drives beckon to places like Pebbly Beach, and make for a great detour along the way. As evening approaches, you cross the bridge leading into Batemans, a bustling seaside town that offers a holiday atmosphere as well as all the entertainment you could need.  

It’s not a long drive south from Batemans to Narooma, but this is a scenic part of the highway, so take your time. Stop for coffee and a browse around the craft shops at Mogo. If there’s time, spend a couple of hours at one of Australia’s best private zoos just outside the village – the white lion cubs will always amuse.  

Break the day with a swim at Tuross Heads, or taste some local cheese at Bodalla. As you crest the hill approaching Narooma you will greeted by sweeping views over the river, sea and town. This is the holiday town of your childhood, and you can indulge all your favourite seaside activities – swimming, surfing, fishing, beach walking, cruising the inlet. Or take a trip out to Montague Island Nature Reserve – a national park dedicated to preserving the flora and fauna of this coastline.  

Tilba Tilba

Leaving Narooma, it’s time to feed your belly as well as your soul. Tilba Tilba is a beautifully preserved village with a main street of eateries and indulgences. Tasting at the cheese factory shop followed by ice cream – yum! It’s then worth detouring off the highway, as it heads inland, keeping to the coast via Bermagui, Tathra and Mimosa Rocks National Park. Sure, it takes longer, but don’t miss this stretch of coastline.

Merimbula is the spot to get adventurous – try horse riding along the beach or sea kayaking the coast. Reward yourself with a night out at one of the town’s great cafes or restaurants.

The border to Melbourne 

Take time to enjoy driving from Merimbula to Lakes Entrance as the road winds through towering eucalypt forests before rejoining the coast in Lakes Entrance, where Australia’s largest network of waterways meets the ocean. 

Lakes is a-buzz with water based activities – swimming, surfing or fishing on the endless expanse of the Ninety Mile Beach or cruising from winery to winery on the sheltered Gippsland Lakes. Explore the spectacular limestone formations of the Buchan Caves or take to the skies for a scenic flight over the Ninety Mile Beach. 

90 Mile Beach

Follow the Princes Highway inland through vast farmland and the bustling regional centres of Bairnsdale and Sale then veer off the beaten track to the South Gippsland Highway.

Nestled among rolling farmland is the tiny township of Foster, gateway to the Wilsons Promontory National Park. Hike through unspoilt native bushland to pristine surf beaches or climb the granite headlands for sweeping views across ‘The Prom.’

Bushwalking Wilsons Prom

Cruise through lush dairy farmland to Leongatha then follow the Bass Highway to the must-see destination of Phillip Island, a haven for some of Victoria’s most fascinating wildlife. 

Get up close and personal with koalas in the Koala Conservation Centre or take a boat out to Seal Rocks – Australia’s largest seal colony. Whatever you do, don’t miss the twilight Penguin Parade when thousands of Little Penguins return to their burrows each evening. 

By the time you dust the sand out of the car in Melbourne you have discovered some of Australia’s all-too-rare tourist free zones and made the most of a route that is too often by-passed in favour of a speedy transit.