Drive to

Melbourne via the

Great Ocean Road

The Grand Pacific Drive and Sapphire Coast Drive between Sydney and are pretty spectacular. This coastal Melbourne to Sydney drive itinerary includes so many beautiful beaches, national parks and seaside holiday villages, that you’ll never be short of things to do and amazing sights to see. Add to that the incredible Great Ocean Road and you have a wonderful Australian road trip!

Climate Averages for Sydney (), Sydney Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max °C 26 26 25 23 20 17 17 18 20 22 24 26 Max °F 79 79 77 73 68 63 63 64 68 72 75 79 Min °C 19 19 17 14 11 8 7 8 10 13 15 17 Min °F 66 66 63 57 52 46 45 46 50 55 59 63 Rainfall (mm) 100 111 122 106 98 123 69 81 62 73 82 75

International Flights arrive Sydney

Sydney: The oldest and largest city in Australia, Sydney showcases the icons of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House, beautiful beaches, rugged coastlines and a climate that encourages a relaxed outdoor lifestyle! Recommendations for Sydney: Enjoy the shopping, catch the ferry to Manly, backstage tour of the Opera House or attend performance there, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, pat and cuddle a koala at Koala Park Sanctuary, visit Sydney Aquarium/Taronga Zoo/, Laze the day at Bondi Beach, visit the Rocks for restaurants and shopping, consider a day trip to the Blue Mountains. Read more Sydney New Year’s Eve Celebrations: With crowds of more than 1.5 million people, Sydney has arguably the second largest New Year celebrations worldwide, after (which attracts over 3 million people on Copacabana Beach; and both average crowds between 800,000 and 1,000,000). New Year revellers benefit from the harbour city's warm summer weather and natural amphitheatre. Over 80,000 fireworks are traditionally set off from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and six other firing points covering 6km along Sydney Harbour. The event can be seen from a 16km radius around Sydney and attracts an average of 300,000 international tourists each year. The Harbour of Lights Parade adds to the attraction as cruise boats covered in fairy lights cruise the centre of the harbour all night. These vessels have the prime position for the evening. Sydney has recently been acknowledged by numerous media sources as having the world's best New Year celebrations, topping the list of cities such as , Edinburgh, , and London. You can pre-purchase tickets to specific vantage points to view the fireworks, these need to be pre-booked well in advance! Read more

Sydney stay: Recommend 3-4 nights D Family: Wow, what a city! B Family: Sydney. We were all enchanted by this city. Our daughter (6) wanted to stay there. We visited the Aquarium (we really liked the dugongs), the Sydney Wildlife World (also very nice and not as crowded as the Aquarium. The Zoo is also worth a visit. The highlight for us was the whole atmosphere. W-G Family: - We absolutely LOVE Sydney - don't think we'd ever tire of the Harbour!!! J Family: Sydney– Fabulous! We loved the location and took ferries and trains all week. Restaurants were fantastic. Our favorite being the Italian place you recommended. We ate there twice! C Family: Sydney during the celebration of the New Year Eve’s has been magic. The fireworks will stay forever in our memory Top 4 Highlights for Sydney: The Sydney Harbour Bridge – Consider BridgeClimb or the Pylon Lookout | Sydney Harbour – Consider a Twilight Sail or simply take the Manly ferry | Sydney Opera House – take the 1 hour tour behind the scenes or attend a performance | Sydney Sights on a bike – take the very popular Bonza Bike Tour upon arrival in Sydney

Batemans Bay: Drive from Sydney through to Melbourne: Total distance 862km or 9 hours if drive straight through. First Stage: Drive from Sydney to Batemans Bay: 278km or 4 hours

South Coast/Bateman’s Bay: Stretching from Berry to Eden, the South Coast contains no less than 10 separate national and marine parks. Create your own fun in this wonderful natural environment - whether you want secluded beaches or majestic bushland. There's everything from guided mountain biking to four-wheel drive tours. Each national park has its own special charms from the world's whitest sand beaches and abundant wildlife, to pristine shingle beaches and rugged headlands. For something completely different, meander through Kangaroo Valley or the quaint arts and crafts villages of the region. There are also many wineries that offer local award winning wines. The kids will love to do a night animals tour at Murramarang National Park near Batemans Bay. Nature lovers can enjoy a whale or dolphin watch cruise, an offshore fishing charter or a leisurely river cruise. For those who can't catch their own, sumptuous fish, crayfish, crab, oysters and prawns are available everywhere. Bateman’s Bay is a fishing port and holiday centre situated on the estuary of the Clyde River. Well known for the freshly caught seafoods and Clyde River oysters. The Batemans Bay area has numerous small beaches with calm waters suitable for children. Visit the Murramarang National Park and its tame kangaroos at Pebbly Beach. Head south to Moruya and picnic at the unspoiled beaches at Lilli Pilli, Malua Bay and Mossy Point. Read more

Batemans Bay stay: Recommend 2 nights Salles Family: we especially enjoyed Batemans Bay, surrounded by kangaroos in the middle of the beautiful national park Eldred: A really nice little town. Good oysters everywhere and we really scoffed them up. A good restaurant there is called On The Pier. The place is loaded with almost tame kangaroos and we were delighted by them. Many more at Pebbles Beach, the next one north. Beautiful seacoast. Vinarcik Family: Since it was the family's first time at the beach we just wanted to play. We never had more than 25 other people on the beach so it felt very private Top Highlights for Batemans Bay: Enjoy a game of mini-golf with the family at Mini-Golf Batemans Bay | Enjoy a walk through the 42 hectare forest site & dine at the café at the Eurobodalla Botanic Gardens | Visit Birdland Animal Park to hand feed & pat the native animals | Just 10 kilometers South of Batemans Bay, make sure to visit Mogo Zoo which is home to over 250 animals | Enjoy swimming, hiking, kayaking in the Batemans Marine Park Sanctuary | Enjoy the beautiful Murramarang National Park | Take a glass bottom kayak tour with this award-winning company Region X

Mallacoota: Drive from Batemans Bay to Mallacoota: 285km or 3:46 hours Mallacoota Inlet: With its shimmering lakes, rivers, pristine forests and turquoise sea lapping quiet beaches, captivates everyone who holidays here and urges them "to come back again". Mallacoota is a true year-round destination, with 's warmest winter temperatures and cooling breezes fresh from the ocean in summer. Read more

Mallacoota stay: Recommend 1-2 nights

Top Highlights for Mallacoota: Visit the Gabo Island historic lighthouse & see the penguins | Explore the former RAAF Mallacoota military bunker | Enjoy some beach walks through Croajingolong National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve | Visit the large mob of kangaroos at Gipsy Point | Hire a boat & enjoy some fishing at either Gipsy Point or Mallacoota Inlet

Wilsons Promontory: Drive from Mallacoota to Wilsons Prom: 453km or 5:21 hours Wilson’s Promontory: Wilsons Promontory or 'The Prom', as it is fondly called, is one of Victoria’s best-known attractions at the southernmost point of mainland Australia. Renowned for its spectacular scenery, the 50,000-hectare national park features magnificent and secluded beaches, cool fern gullies, great views, spectacular rock formations and an abundance of wildlife. Read more

Wilsons Prom stay: Recommend 2 nights Northcott: Saw lots of wildlife day and night! Grenat Family: Very peaceful place. We could visit the national park with nice beaches and when we went out at around 19h30 to 20h30 we did a safari by ourselves and we saw a lot of wildlife (wallabies, kangaroos, wombats) along the road and inside the forest. Top Highlights for Wilsons Prom: Trek the 6 hour walk to the Wilsons Prom Lightstation | Visit Norman Beach and enjoy the golden sand | Enjoy any of the great day walking tracks at Wilsons Prom | Discover the famous white sand and turquoise waters at Squeaky Beach | Do some diving and enjoy the spectacular underwater scenery in the Wilsons Prom Marine Park | Do some camping at Tidal River Campground

Queenscliff: Drive from Wilsons Prom to Sorrento: 192km or 2:39 hours. Then catch car ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff: 30- minute trip, departs hourly. (look out for dolphins). Sorrento: Live the good life amid Sorrento's imposing limestone buildings, whether you're dining by the water, browsing galleries and boutiques or swimming alongside dolphins. Spot bottlenose dolphins and feed pelicans on the foreshore from your table at the Baths Restaurant in the old tearooms. Feast on delicious 'pub grub' atop the cliffs at historic Hotel Sorrento or simply enjoy fish and chips on the beach followed by homemade gelati. There's little as laidback as browsing antiques and designer labels in quaint heritage boutiques. Wander the limestone shop fronts for clothes to fit in both beachside laidback in the city, furniture and homewares, artworks, jewellery and maritime keepsakes. Read more

Queenscliff: The township of Queenscliff has a noticeably 19th century atmosphere generated by its historic hotels‚ fishermen's cottages and public buildings. Once a fashionable resort town‚ Queenscliff is also the home of Fort Queenscliff; in the 1880’s, the most heavily armed defence post in the southern hemisphere. Today‚ visitors explore the charm of Queenscliff on historic walks which also take in arts‚ crafts and antique galleries. Queenscliff is linked to Sorrento‚ on the Mornington Peninsula‚ by car and passenger ferries. Read more Queenscliff stay: Recommend 1 night

Borden Family: We ended up taking the ferry from Sorrento to Queenscliff and this worked out great. We saw several dolphins chasing the ferry along the way. The scenery was great too. We really enjoyed Queenscliff and we wished we had more time to spend. Top Highlights for Queenscliff: Swim with wild dolphins & seals with Sea All Dolphin Swims in Queenscliff | Visit nearby Jirrahlinga Native Wildlife Sanctuary in Barwon Heads (25 min drive) | Wander the Queenscliff Marina, enjoy the cafes/restaurants & look out for the large manta rays in the harbour | Catch the Blues Train for a unique music experience | Enjoy browsing the local museums: Fort Queenscliff & Maritime Museum | Stroll the Queenscliff Pier & beach

The Great Ocean Road: Drive from Queenscliff to Lorne: 90km or 1:50 hours or to Apollo Bay: 135km or 2 hours

The Great Ocean Road: Discover one of Australia’s most famous routes, the winding Great Ocean Road. Hugging the dramatic southwest coast, this region is the home of surfing, whale watching and maritime history in Victoria. The magnificent rock formations of the Apostles rise precariously from the Southern Ocean, surrounded by historic lighthouses and towering over mysterious shipwrecks. A haven for water lovers, there are ample opportunities for fishing, swimming, and sea kayaking or taking a cruise to visit a seal colony. Read more Lorne: With its fresh sea air, white beaches and buzzing arts community, the nearby Otways and its relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere, Lorne has been attracting eager holiday makers for more than a century. Visit some of the area's stunning attractions in the nearby Great Otway National Park. Discover the Erskine Falls cascading into a beautiful fern gully, one of ten waterfalls within ten minutes of town. Stroll along the banks of the Cumberland River or take in the view over Loutit Bay. Read more Apollo Bay: Picturesque green foothills roll down to a sweeping arc of golden beach and sky-blue sea. Called “Paradise by the Sea”, Apollo Bay is a holiday haven and fishing village, a treasure trove of gourmet delights and gateway to the natural riches of the Otways. Tall eucalypts sway gently over massive tree fern gardens. In many places, waterfalls thunder in the rainforest as swollen streams rush towards the ocean. Pass through the Otways National Park and stop off at Maits Rest and take the self-guided rainforest walking trail through the park. The stretch of road from Lavers Hill onward is a highlight. Read more

Great Ocean Road stay: Recommend 3+ nights Schmidt Family: Lorne and the Great Ocean Road - the best!! - 3 nights is too short. Vanbrabant Family: Great Ocean Road was fantastic. Three years ago we did a similar trip during Chinese New Year. We did the coast between Brisbane and Sydney, and enjoyed it also, but Great Ocean Road is much better. Lum Family: Thank you Vicki. The kids are already asking me to open an office here. Already regret not making this a strictly Great Ocean Road holiday….so beautiful. Thanks for convincing me. Top 5 Highlights for West of Lorne, Great Ocean Road: Drive the Great Ocean Road – a journey in itself & amaze at the scenery | Tower Hill Nature Reserve near Warrnambool – do a 30 minute walk & meet koalas, emus, kangaroos | 12 Apostles near Port Campbell – Explore the central feature of the rugged Port Campbell National Park | Explore the Otways – make time to visit some waterfalls | Kennett River Koala Walk – enjoy a walk through the Koala popular gum forest and into the dense Otway Rainforest. Top 6 Highlights for Lorne & East of Lorne, Great Ocean Road: Erskine Falls Lorne – a short walk to view a waterfall with one of the highest drops in the Otways | Swim/Surf at the Beaches – enjoy a swim/learn to surf in one of the many beaches | Horse Riding Aireys Inlet – Enjoy a 2.5 hour horse ride on the beach | Kangaroo Spotting Anglesea – Stop awhile at the Anglesea Golf Course and see the large number of kangaroos that call the golf course their home | Surf Shopping Torquay – this coastal town is recognised amongst the world’s premier surf locations and shop at Quicksilver/Roxy/Ripcurl clothing outlets | Swim with the Dolphins Queenscliff – Swim with wild Dolphins & Seals!

Melbourne: Drive from Lorne to Melbourne: 140km or 2:19 hours or from Apollo Bay: 187km or 2:30 hours Welcome to Melbourne! Melbourne is an exciting city which has much to offer its visitors. It is famous for its food and wine experiences, not to mention its fabulous shopping. From the huge Melbourne Central complex to the bustling Queen Victoria Market, the grand arcades filled with boutique stores to the factory outlet shopping strips, you will find a shopper’s paradise. Take a walk through the beautiful Botanic Gardens, or a relaxing afternoon cruise down the Yarra River. Visit a museum or see a theatre show. Take a tram ride to St Kilda and enjoy a latte and a decadent cake from the famous Acland Street café strip. Melbourne is renowned for its sports and special events, such as the Grand Slam Tennis, Spring Racing Carnival and the Australian Grand Prix. Read more Melbourne stay: Recommend 2+ nights

E: A jewel of a city. I really liked the cafes in the narrow lanes, the arcades, etc. Also found the architecture very interesting. F: Melbourne became very quickly one of the most favourite towns on earth for us and we were wondering why other cities in the world cannot achieve such a quality for living. We bought for 5 Dollars blue bicycle helmets and the rental-system is then just great. The botanic garden is incredible (and this for free!). Christmas Eve at the Sydney Myer Music Bowl was very special for us Europeans. We liked that our hotel was not in the Central Business District and so we felt more like "Melbournese" going downtown by tram, bicycle or just by walking. D: We loved Melbourne and enjoyed our time there and wouldn't mind going back. Quite beautiful and cosmopolitan with easily days of things to do in and about the city. Top 5 Highlights for Melbourne: Laneways Shopping – Explore historic arcades and laneways lined with fine dining restaurants, chic cafes, hidden bars and fashion boutiques or if you would like guidance don’t miss a Hidden Secrets Laneways tour | Melbourne is one of the best food cities in the world. Do a 4 hour “walk, talk & taste Melbourne” walking tour | NGV International – See one of the Southern Hemisphere's most impressive collections of European, Asian, Oceanic and American art as well as incredible visiting exhibitions at this iconic Melbourne gallery | Take a Walk – Melbourne is a pedestrian paradise with its flat landscape, lush parks and gardens, riverbanks and bayside scenery. Discover the aboriginal history on a 1-hour walking tour | Catch a show at one of the gorgeous theatres in the city

Climate Averages for Melbourne (Victoria), Australia Melbourne Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max °C 26 27 24 20 17 13 13 14 16 19 22 24 Max °F 79 81 75 68 63 55 55 57 61 66 72 75 Min °C 14 14 13 10 8 6 5 6 7 9 10 12 Min °F 57 57 55 50 46 43 41 43 45 48 50 54 Rainfall (mm) 46 41 39 47 46 41 37 47 51 59 60 49

AET Travel (formerly Australia Expat Travel) can help build the holiday you are dreaming of. You can’t beat local knowledge. Engage with a specialist Travel Agent to make it happen & get the best out of your holiday. We offer professional service & trusted advice since 2004.

Next Steps: Please contact us with your travel dates & passenger details... Shanghai: Trudy Donald Mobile: 131 6227 5186 | Email: [email protected] | WeChat ID: trud001 Singapore: Rebecca Harding Mobile/Whats App: 9111 2488 | Email: [email protected] Australia: Vicki Baensch Mobile/Whats App:+61 439204084 | Email: [email protected] | WeChat ID: vickibaensch www.aettravel.com.au Please check out our latest client feedback reviews & for more ideas on where to go and what to do visit our blog page

What you can expect from AET Travel: • Save time & plan with no headaches: Planning & booking a complex holiday is time-consuming and stressful when you don’t know much about the country you are visiting. Working with a qualified Australian Travel Agent enables peace of mind. You are secure in knowing our combination of travel planning expertise, local knowledge, and experience as a travelling expat family of five will deliver a fantastic holiday experience you will never forget!

• Personalised & Comprehensive Itinerary: Expect your itinerary to be well-planned, designed for your family and include detail covering each destination (what is good to do in the area, tours & activities), drive distances and time taken travelling, as well as a variety of suggested accommodation and pricing levels. We monitor the industry award- winning accommodation & tour providers to ensure your holiday proposal contains current, good quality options • Adventure: Expect suggestions that you would not have otherwise considered. We research many local-content options outside the mainstream (B&B’s, Farmstays, Chalets on nature reserves, great tours & activities) • Balanced Holiday: Expect a balance between explore/adventure and relaxation. No point packing up your suitcase every other day and visiting airports more often than you prefer. We know what works! • Helping expats since 2004: Ex-Shanghai expats ourselves, we started AET Travel upon repatriation in Australia. We have the experience in helping many expat family’s holiday and enjoy their travels since • Competitive Pricing: We rely on a huge resource to ensure we deliver the very best value. Prices available on a wide variety of accommodations, car/motorhome hire, tours, international/domestic flights, and travel insurance • Celebrations: Restaurant bookings for special occasions such as Christmas, Birthdays, and New Year’s Eve • Support: Is a local phone call away during your holiday to handle any unwanted emergencies

Client comments:

Overall, Australia is the best vacation we have ever had. Thank you!! You completely made our trip!! Seriously, you were superb! We never would have had such a fantastic experience without you. Jen Huxol, Shanghai

You did everything I expected and more. To be honest, I’ve never hired a travel agent before so don’t really have a good reference point, but your expertise and assistance was really helpful in setting up a realistic overall schedule and then filling in the blanks with worthwhile excursions. I appreciate that you took the time to understand the types of activities that interested us and tailored your recommendations to our personalities. That’s something that travel websites just can’t do, and it’s a large part of the value you added to our trip. The trip itinerary was very useful – nice to have all of our reservation numbers and addresses in one place. We carried it with us everywhere we went. John Plonka, Shanghai

Helfrich Family: First, did I find your consultancy valuable? Absolutely. When we started to plan an Australia trip it was overwhelming. It's a huge country, so your help in narrowing down the possibilities of where to go and what to see and focusing us were really essential. I think we would have been quite a bit more scattered in our approach had we done it ourselves, and we probably would have missed some really great things. Of course, we had guidebooks.