The bullet train to Melbourne is due any decade soon

September 16, 2022 4:40 PM

If you were going to spend 2-3 days driving between Sydney and Melbourne on the Hume Highway, where would you stop? Please help me spice up this notoriously dull drive.

I usually either catch the train or just gun it (with rest breaks, obviously), but I'm thinking this time about breaking up the drive over a few days. I'm keen to hear MeFites' favourite camping spots (free or paid), caravan parks, cheap motels, good spots to stop for snacks, unmissable pub lunches, good antique shops, beautiful eerie towns (looking at you, Tallangatta), that kind of thing. No kids. My preference for detours off the Hume is about half an hour each way - nothing that adds too much to the driving - but if there's something worth the bigger detour, I'm keen to hear about it. Also, I do realise that the coast road is nicer! This challenge is about how I can spice up the Hume.

Post title from the delightful Ocean Party's 'White Cockatoo'. Thanks all.

posted by happyfrog to Travel & Transportation around Australia (7 answers total)

You have to stop at the Long Track Pantry at Jugiong, whether you're gunning it or taking your time. It's gorgeous, just off the Hume, and far better than stopping at Yass or Dog on the Tuckerbox for food. The waterworks lookout is closeby and has a lovely view (especially if everything is nice and green!).
posted by cholly at 5:34 PM on September 16, 2022 [2 favorites]

If you are going to deliberately take a few days, would you consider driving the coastal route instead?
posted by kinddieserzeit at 9:47 PM on September 16, 2022 [1 favorite]

My partner's family have a real tradition about stopping at the Paragon Cafe in Goulburn, it's lovely and a relic of another era.
posted by Cheese Monster at 9:53 PM on September 16, 2022 [2 favorites]

Rutherglen is an amazing little town on the way. It has a bakery that states it has the best pies in Australia. I know this is a frequent boast, but these pies are definitely up there. Really flavoursome fillings and delicious pastry.

I have also camped at the Nug Nug reserve near buffulo river. It was a lovely campsite and beautiful area. If you were going to head this way, you could detour of the Hume for a while and go down through Beechworth and Myrtleford etc. All lovely towns.
posted by daffodil at 3:03 PM on September 17, 2022 [2 favorites]

My daughter did Sydney Canberra Rutherglen Cobram Melbourne with overnight stays in Canberra and Cobram.

She did the National Gallery in Canberra and some wineries in the Rutherglen on the way.
posted by Barbara Spitzer at 1:35 AM on September 19, 2022

The Snowy Mountains Highway off the Hume, that links Gundagai and Cooma through Tumut, is well known as a motorcyclists' route, it goes past the Blowering Reservoir and is supposed to be beautiful. It's on my List.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 6:43 PM on September 19, 2022

Response by poster: So! I ended up staying overnight at the newly refurbished, clean and cheap Tarcutta Hotel on the way there and at the free campground at Jugiong on the way back. I left Tarcutta before the community shop opened but I caught the Pantry, cholly, which was fab! I missed the turnoff to Rutherglen but found a sweet little community shop in Gunning. The trip was a lot nicer with things to look forward to, and best of all I feel like I have lots left to try next time. Thanks all.
posted by happyfrog at 3:05 PM on September 27, 2022