Road trip from Sydney to Lakes Entrance

When I informed people about our ambitious road trip from Sydney to Lakes Entrance, everyone asked me if I knew what I was talking about and how many hours the drive was. My two friends and I had only a weekend to cover approx. 1500 kilometres. And we had made this wonderful plan in the car, during our road trip to the Southern Highlands.

As I have always loved driving in Australia, I did not personally feel it hard to drive 1500 kilometres in a weekend. Also, all my friends and I had a full unrestricted Australian driving licence which made it easier.

For fun big things to see on the way, read 11 big things to see in NSW.

Sydney to Lakes Entrance — Picture of Ruhi, my car

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Some context…

When we talk about Sydney and Lakes Entrance, we are referring to a road trip between the two states in Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. There are two routes from Sydney to Lakes Entrance. One is the inland through Canberra, which is the shorter route and the other one is the coastal and scenic route through Wollongong and Eden. The coastal route is more picturesque and fun to drive.

The coastal drive one way from Sydney to Lakes Entrance takes around 9 hours and is about 715 kilometres.

For the road trip guide on the east coast of Australia, read my post The ultimate east coast road trip.

Itinerary

The idea was to start on a Friday evening after work and return on Sunday.

Friday night – We started from Strathfield (Sydney) at around 5 PM. We decided to stay at Eden for the night and to cover a total distance of approximately 550 kilometres.
Saturday – In the morning, we explored Eden and drove to Lakes Entrance. We reached Lakes Entrance by afternoon. The distance that we covered was approximately 250 kilometres.
Sunday – This day was dedicated to driving from Lakes Entrance to Strathfield (Sydney). In the morning, we did explore Lakes Entrance a bit and saw some of the interesting places there.

Towns/Cities on the way

There were plenty of small coastal towns/villages that we passed in between Sydney and Lakes Entrance. But the main ones I recommend stopping for a quick stopover are below.

Sydney

This was of course our starting point and a city that I call home in Australia. Sydney is definitely one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. And it is worth spending exploring this amazingly pretty city. For a detailed guide on what can be done in Sydney, refer Travel guide to Sydney.

Kiama

Kiama is a very relaxed coastal town. It is around 95 kilometres from Sydney. Even though we could stop at this town this time, I would definitely recommend spending time in this lovely town. Just before Kiama is Wollongong, a distance of 28 kilometres which is also a great place to stop by.

Huskisson & Jervis Bay

I am in love with Huskisson and Jervis Bay. Huskisson is a coastal town on the shores of Jervis Bay. The town is around 65 kilometres from Kiama.

Narooma and Bermagui

Another two coastal towns that I love are Narooma and Bermagui. They are both very charming coastal towns. Narooma is around 180 kilometres from Huskisson. The word Narooma is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning ‘clear blue waters‘ and trust me you wouldn’t be disappointed as the place lives up to it.

If you are an ocean lover like me, definitely take the Swimming with Seals tour when you are in Narooma.

Montague Island - Swimming with Seals — A playful seal

Eden

Do you believe in a fairytale? Do you believe such places exist? Then Eden is a place for you. Eden is around 135 kilometres from Narooma. The sunrises at Eden are absolutely a must-see. During this road trip, we did stop by Eden and explored the town a bit.

Eden Killer Whale Museum

The Eden Killer Whale Museum is a very interesting place to see and learn about the killer whales found in the area.

Address: 184, Imlay Street, Eden 2551.

The museum is open every day, from 9 AM to 4 PM on weekdays and 11 AM to 4 PM over the weekends. There is an entry fee to get into the museum and the entrance is AUD 12 that can be purchased at the entrance.

Stay at Eden

On Friday night, we decided to stay at a nice place and we booked a motel. The name of the place was Eden Motel and it cost us AUD 100 for 3 people. The place was neat and was a comfortable stay.

Lakes Entrance

Lakes Entrance was our final destination. Located on the edge of Ninety Mile beach, this coastal town is in the state of Victoria. It is famous for its beaches and wildlife. The distance between Eden and Lakes Entrance is 242 kilometres.

Griffiths Shell museum

A small museum that displays a huge collection of seashells and preserved specimens. The museum has an entrance fee of AUD 9. It is open every day from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Address: 125 Esplanade, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909.

Cunninghame Arm Foot Bridge

The Cunninghame Arm Foot Bridge is the bridge that connects the town centre and the sand dunes. The walk around the jetty and on the footbridge is definitely a must when in Lakes Entrance.

Address: 591 Esplanade, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909.

Reeve Landing Jetty

This jetty surely provides breathtaking views of the sunset.

Address: 31 Bullock Island Rd, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909.

Definitely visit the visitor centre to check out some really cool products/souvenirs by a local artist. I fell in love with her work and bought so many pretty things.

!! You can also purchase souvenirs online from Gifts Australia website.

Stay at Lakes Entrance

The weather was ranging from 18 degrees C to 22 degrees C. So a perfect and comfortable weather for camping. We carried our camping gear from Sydney.

Lakes Entrance Recreation and Camping Reserve
Address: 1 Rowe Street, Lakes Entrance, Vic 3909.
Cost: AUD 33 for 3 people.

At Lakes Entrance Recreation and Camping Reserve

Other beautiful coastal towns to look out for along the way are Ulladulla, Batemans Bay, Tilba Tilba, and Marimbula.
There are plenty of things to do on the way and we have seen some of these towns/cities already. As we had less time, we could not stop at each and every place/town.

Expenses for the road trip

The cost below is for each person and costed a bit cheaper for each one of us because we were three of us and we divided all the expenses equally.

Did you know that the online tool Shortreckonings is a great way to divide and record expenses? The tool does not require any login or registration.

Fuel expenses = AUD 50.
Snacks = AUD 9.
Stay at Eden = AUD 34.
Stay at Lakes Entrance = AUD 11.
Food = AUD 100.
Entrance for Eden Killer Whale = AUD 10.
Entrance for Griffiths Shell museum = AUD 9.
Total cost – AUD 223 per person.

Is it safe for solo female travelers?

All the places listed in this post are completely safe for solo female travelers. The people are very friendly and I have not had any issues as such while traveling in these places.

However, like any other place, be cautious especially at nights and trust your instinct.

Closing notes

This is one of the best road trips I have done so far in Australia. I am so glad that we decided to drive down to Lakes Entrance and it is totally worth the trip. The route is very scenic and delightful.

Have you been on this road trip from Sydney to Lakes Entrance? If yes, I would love to hear. Drop a comment below or write to me on Solopassport@gmail.com.