Subscribe
Language:
English

Choose a Time Out City

Choose a Time Out Market

Australia

The 6 best Eastern Aussie roadtrips you can do on just one tank

Save your road trip stops for gorgeous lookouts and small town bakery bites — not extra fuel stops
Water coastline with mountains and road
Photograph: Visit Victoria
By Caitlyn Todoroski for Time Out in association with Chery
Advertising

The last thing you want to stress about on a roadtrip is the empty tank light coming on and having to figure out where the nearest petrol station is in the middle of nowhere. It’s a handy thing then that in 2026, there are cars that can get you as far as 1250 kilometres on a combined tank and charge, depending on driving conditions.  

That’s the thinking behind Chery’s Super Hybrid range, designed to help drivers go further with confidence. To celebrate its 3rd birthday in Oz, we’ve rounded up six absolute bucket-list road trips to do across New South Wales and Victoria. For the special occasion, models like the 7-seater SUV Tiggo 9 Super Hybrid and the midsize Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid are $2000 off until March, and we can think of no better way to push your new baby to the limits than a roadtrip. Ditch the range anxiety and endless planning at home, and enjoy venturing long distances without needing a top-up.

Find out more info on the Chery range, here. 

New South Wales

South Coast icons (Sydney to Eden)

South Coast icons (Sydney to Eden)
South Coast icons (Sydney to Eden)
Photograph: Supplied | Destination NSW | Billy's Beach, Narooma

The route: Sydney → Royal National Park → Kiama → Gerringong → Jervis Bay → Ulladulla → Narooma → Bermagui → Tathra → Eden

The distance: 900km

The time: 5-7 days

Forget the traffic on the A1; hang a left at Loftus and drive through the Royal National Park for views of the Illawarra’s coastline that are postcard worthy. It’s a must that you drive over Seacliff Bridge – where you’re literally suspended off the edge of the cliff over the water. Kick back in Kiama and Gerringong where no one is in a rush, spot the resident dolphins in Jervis Bay’s bluest waters, slurp oysters in Eden and learn about Eden’s whaling past. With long stretches between coastal towns, a Super Hybrid with extended combined range makes it easier to focus on the azure scenery rather than the next fuel stop.

The Aussie outback extravaganza (Sydney to Broken Hill)

The Aussie outback extravaganza (Sydney to Broken Hill)
The Aussie outback extravaganza (Sydney to Broken Hill)
Photograph: Supplied | Destination NSW

The route: Sydney → Blue Mountains → Mudgee → Dubbo → Cobar → Broken Hill

The distance: 950km

The time: 5-6 days

If you want to see a rugged side of Australia, you can pretty much just drive in a straight line inland from Sydney. Stop off along the way at the romantic Blue Mountains for views of the gorgeous Three Sisters rock formation and Jamison Valley, sample some incredible local drops in Mudgee, experience the charm of Dubbo (affectionately known by fun-loving locals as DubVegas) and live out your ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ dreams in Broken Hill.

The Alpine getaway (Sydney to Snowy Mountains)

The Alpine getaway (Sydney to Snowy Mountains)
The Alpine getaway (Sydney to Snowy Mountains)
Photograph: Tourism Australia | Kosciuszko National Park, Snowy Mountains

The route: Sydney → Canberra → Cooma → Jindabyne → Thredbo → Khancoban → Alpine Way → Tumut

The distance: 950km

The time: 5-6 days

Depending on the season you could get two experiences out of this itinerary – go in summer and you’ll be visiting some of Australia’s best hikes and mountain bike trails. If it’s winter, make sure you’ve got those tyre chains ready on hand and your skis in the boot. Get your culture fix at Australia’s capital and visit the thoughtfully designed Australian War Memorial, the nostalgic Questacon science centre and the National Gallery of Australia. A highlight of this trip is getting cosy in the cold of Jindabyne and Thredbo and hitting up the slopes – or trail riding Mount Kosciuszko.

Victoria

Rocky wonderlands (Melbourne to Little Desert National Park)

Rocky wonderlands (Melbourne to Little Desert National Park)
Rocky wonderlands (Melbourne to Little Desert National Park)
Photograph: Visit Victoria

The route: Melbourne → Ballarat → Grampians National Park → Halls Gap → Wartook → Nhill → Little Desert National Park

The distance: 800km

The time: 4-6 days

It’s a rock climber’s dream: packing up a van with carabiners and friends, and heading to what is arguably Australia’s best region for incredible cliff faces. As you approach the Grampians, you’ll see the effects of light pollution wear off on a sky full of stars. There’s the Venus Baths rockpools for a dip in summer, Lake Wartook and Lake Nhill for a serene picnic, and sand dunes in Little Desert National Park that will make you forget you’re in Australia.

Hidden coastal secrets (Melbourne to South West Forests)

Hidden coastal secrets (Melbourne to South West Forests)
Hidden coastal secrets (Melbourne to South West Forests)
Photograph: Belinda Van Zanen

The route: Melbourne → Lorne → Cape Otway → Otways inland → Beech Forest → Otways National Park → Lower Glenelg National Park

The distance: 850km

The time: 4-6 days

Look, there’s no denying that driving the Great Ocean Road is a bucket-list item in itself but it’s not exactly a secret anymore. That’s why this roadtrip is great – you go down the path less trodden, but still get a taste of the famous views on the way to Lorne. Venture beyond to the rugged Cape Otway for the gorgeous lighthouse, experience the magic of the gushing 30-metre tall Hopetoun Falls, and kayak the glass waters of the Glenelg River. Compact enough for city driving yet built for longer escapes, the Tiggo 7 Super Hybrid blends hybrid efficiency with practical space for weekend touring.

A history buff’s route (Melbourne to Murray River)

A history buff’s route (Melbourne to Murray River)
A history buff’s route (Melbourne to Murray River)
Photograph: Visit Victoria

The route: Melbourne → Ballarat → Daylesford → Bendigo → Echuca → Yarrawonga

The distance: 800km

The time: 4-6 days

Eureka! Travel through Victoria’s outback (and back in time) to the sites of the gold rush in the 1800s. Pan for gold in Ballarat or go for a chug in an old-fashioned steamboat in Echuca. For something different, kick back in Daylesford which is like the ultimate natural wellness retreat with its mineral springs. Bendigo’s old architecture is enough alone to make you feel like you’re in a different century, and while you’re in town, learn about its history as one of Australia's earliest examples of multiculturalism thanks to the Chinese miners that settled down for the gold rush. It’s the kind of multi-stop regional itinerary where efficient hybrid performance and long combined range help keep the journey smooth from start to finish.

Recommended
    Latest news
      Advertising
      Back to Top

      About us

      Contact us

      Time Out products

      Site map
      © 2026 Time Out England Limited and affiliated companies owned by Time Out Group Plc. All rights reserved. Time Out is a registered trademark of Time Out Digital Limited.