Why Fly When You Can Drive? Melbourne to Sydney via the Sapphire Coast

We had a wedding to attend just outside Sydney and, like most people, initially looked at flights. It would have been quick and convenient—but where’s the fun in that? Instead, we packed the car, pointed it towards the coast and turned a weekend wedding into a proper road trip.

Leaving Melbourne early, we followed the Princes Highway east through Gippsland. Once the suburban traffic disappeared behind us, the drive became part of the holiday. The scenery gradually shifted from farmland and country towns to thick bushland, lakes and long stretches of open road.

We stopped in Lakes Entrance to stretch our legs, grab a coffee and enjoy our first proper look at the coast. From there, the highway continued through Orbost and towards the Victorian–New South Wales border. It isn’t the fastest way to Sydney—the inland Hume Highway wins that race—but the coastal route offers far more reasons to slow down.

A Few Days in Merimbula

Our halfway destination was Merimbula, in the heart of the NSW Sapphire Coast. Roughly halfway between Melbourne and Sydney, it was the perfect place to break the journey for a few days without feeling as though we had simply stopped to sleep.

Merimbula has that relaxed coastal-town atmosphere that immediately puts you into holiday mode. There’s a beautiful lake, uncrowded beaches, headlands to explore and enough cafés and restaurants to keep you pleasantly distracted.

One morning, we visited the Merimbula Aquarium, located beneath the Wharf Restaurant. It isn’t an enormous city-style aquarium, but that’s part of its charm. Its tanks showcase marine life found along the Sapphire Coast, giving us a closer look at what lives beneath the surrounding waters.

Our second activity took us beyond Merimbula to explore more of the region with Navigate Expeditions, which runs guided nature experiences across the Sapphire Coast. Their kayaking adventures offer a completely different view of the area’s waterways, oyster leases and coastal environment. It was peaceful, interesting and just energetic enough to justify a good dinner afterwards.

That evening, we booked a table at the Merimbula Wharf Restaurant. Perched above the ocean with sweeping views across Merimbula Bay, it was exactly the sort of place we had hoped to find. Fresh local seafood, a glass of wine and the sun dropping over the coast made it feel like a genuine holiday dinner—not merely a meal during a long drive.

Back on the Road

After a few wonderful days, we packed the car and continued north along the NSW South Coast. The drive carried us through seaside towns, forests and around broad coastal lakes before eventually leading us towards Sydney.

By the time we arrived at our friends’ wedding just outside the city, we didn’t feel as though we had endured a long commute. We had already enjoyed several days away together.

Flying may have saved time, but driving gave us something better: a shared adventure. Sometimes the destination is only the excuse. Why fly when you can drive—and make a holiday of it?

The featured operators were verified as active through their official websites and the official Sapphire Coast tourism website:__andSapphire Coast tourism.

Merimbula Aquarium & Restaurant

Sapphire Coast tourism