Fancy yourself as a bit of an historian? What better way to indulge your passion than to enjoy a trip down the Sydney-Melbourne heritage drive, taking in all the important landmarks as you go?
If this sounds like your cup of tea, organise your Melbourne Airport car rental with East Coast Car Rentals and hit the road!
Melbourne to Bendigo
This stretch of the journey is 154 km long so it should take you around 2 hours depending on how many antique stores you want to stop in on along the way.
If these stores aren’t enough to whet your appetite for the historic, plan a visit to Castlemaine. As well as a historic home where you can view antiques in situ, this area is home to an art gallery and historic museum. It is famous for its collection of beautiful Australian art as well as historic artefacts dating back to the Mount Alexander goldfields district in Victoria.
You may also want to book some time in for a picnic at the famous Hanging Rock. Near the beautifully historic town of Woodend, this area will provide the perfect backdrop to your delicious feast.
Bendigo to Echuca-Moama
This leg of the trip should take just under an hour and a half. It is 92 km long and will allow you to journey through wine country as well as allowing you to get a glimpse of gold mining history.
Starting off at the beautiful town of Bendigo, which was bigger than Melbourne during the gold mining boom of the 1800s, this journey will allow you to see the legacy of the Chinese gold miners. The Golden Dragon Museum features the world’s longest dragon as well as classic Chinese gardens and a Joss House temple.
If you still want to learn more about gold mining, take a 60-metre elevator trip underneath Bendigo and experience the wonder that is the operating Central Deborah Gold Mine.
After all of this, you might be in need of a pick-me-up. Head to the nearby Bendigo and Heathcote wine regions, and try a glass of their fine shiraz. You may want to leave your rental car at the hotel, however, so you can continue your journey safely!
Echuca-Moama to Albury Wodonga
Allow around three hours to complete this 244 km drive from the paddle steamer capital of Australia.
If it tickles your fancy, you could stay in a houseboat, enjoying the quality local produce and a few glasses of local wine. Or, take a bit of time to relax and play a game of golf at the largest public golfing complex in the southern hemisphere, the 45-hole Yarrawonga and Border Golf club.
Head down to Rutherglen, which is one of the country’s oldest wine growing regions. Take the Rutherglen Wine Experience and sample the fortified wines, tokays and muscats the area is famous for.
Finally you will reach the modern city of Albury Wodonga, which sits alongside the famous Murray River. There you can see rolling valleys and hills as well as lush farmland.
Albury Wodonga to Sydney
At 627 km, this is the longest leg of the journey and should take you around 7 hours to complete.
You will have to leave the beautiful Murray River behind as you drive in your rental car all the way to the stunning historic town of Yass. Originally settled by Hamilton Hume and Banjo Paterson in the 1800s, it is now a centre for rural and adventure activities.
Next you will hit the capital, Canberra, where there are plenty of national institutions and attractions sure to catch your eye. Make sure you pay the world famous Australian War Memorial museum a visit and if you’re feeling politically minded, watch Parliament sitting from the public galleries.
Then you can continue your journey to our Sydney Airport car rental location. Have a look at the iconic architecture, such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera house. Then get some retail therapy or hit the beach!