My husband and I didn't really travel for a whole year after I moved to Australia. Budget was tight, and life was still settling. So when we finally had our honeymoon — a night at the Crown in Melbourne — we decided to keep the momentum going. We went home, rested for a night, and the next morning we packed the car and hit the road.
What started as a spontaneous post-honeymoon road trip turned into one of the best weeks we've had together. We drove from Melbourne up through regional Victoria, across to NSW, and all the way to Canberra — stopping at everything that looked interesting along the way.
If you're in Melbourne and thinking about doing the drive up to Canberra or regional NSW, here's everywhere we stopped — and whether it's worth your time.
The stops
📍 Tocumwal Aviation Museum
Tocumwal, NSW
Tocumwal was more than just a stop for us — it's where my husband's grandparents used to live. We drove past their old house, and you could tell it meant something to him. It's a small, quiet town, but it holds a lot of his family memories. While we were there, we also visited the aviation museum, which was a surprise — Tocumwal was actually a secret military airbase during World War II. It's one of those places that makes you appreciate the quiet towns that hold big stories.
📍 City of Wagga Wagga Botanical Gardens
Wagga Wagga, NSW
Wagga Wagga is one of those towns with a name you can't say without smiling. The botanic gardens were beautiful — peaceful, well-kept, and a perfect spot to stretch your legs after hours in the car. If you're driving through, don't skip this. It's free and it's one of the best regional botanic gardens in NSW.
📍 Australian War Memorial
Canberra, ACT
This one hits different. The Australian War Memorial is part museum, part shrine, and walking through it feels heavy in the best way. The exhibits cover Australia's military history from the Boer War through to modern conflicts, and the way they tell the stories of individual soldiers makes it deeply personal. The Hall of Memory and the Roll of Honour — walls covered with the names of every Australian who died in service — are the kind of thing that stops you in your tracks. Whether you're Australian or not, it's a powerful reminder of what this country has been through.
📍 National Gallery of Australia
Canberra, ACT
We almost missed this one. I spotted a painting as we were heading down the elevator — and I loved it so much I grabbed a quick photo before the doors closed.
The painting was part of Australia in Colour, a collection of 21 portraits by Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira, depicting prominent Australian figures.
As someone who paints, this exhibition hit me differently. There's something about seeing an artist use portraiture to challenge how power looks — not to flatter, but to question. Honestly, I'd love to do something like that one day. So if you're reading this and want to volunteer your face for a portrait — come sit for me. I'm serious.
I also came across a piece by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara — No War. If you're not familiar with his work, he's known for painting these wide-eyed, childlike figures that look innocent at first glance, but carry heavy anti-war and anti-nuclear messages underneath. The contrast between the softness of the art and the weight of the message stuck with me. It's the kind of work that makes you stop scrolling and actually feel something — which, as an artist, is all you can really hope for.
📍 Canberra Parliament House
Canberra, ACT
You can't go to Canberra and not see Parliament House — even if politics isn't your thing. The building itself is massive and the view from the rooftop lawn is worth the visit alone. It's free to walk through and there's something surreal about standing in the place where the country's decisions are made.
📍 Cockington Green Gardens
Gold Creek Village, Canberra
This place is basically a miniature world — tiny replicas of buildings from around the globe, all set in perfectly manicured gardens. It sounds like a kids' attraction, but honestly, it's charming for adults too. We spent more time here than I expected because the detail in each miniature is insane.
📍 The National Dinosaur Museum
Gold Creek Village, Canberra
Right near Cockington Green, so we did both on the same day. If you're even a little bit curious about dinosaurs, this is worth a visit. Life-sized models, fossils, interactive exhibits — and it's not just for kids. I had more fun than I expected.
📍 Canberra Reptile Zoo
Gold Creek Village, Canberra
This is where I touched a snake for the first time in my life. And I mean — if you told me a year ago that I'd be holding a reptile voluntarily, I would have laughed in your face. But there I was, in a tiny reptile zoo in Canberra, with a snake draped over my hands, trying not to scream while my husband took a photo.
It was terrifying. And then it was kind of... cool? The scales were smoother than I expected. I still don't love snakes. But I can now say I've held one, and that feels like a small personal victory.
📍 Australian National Botanic Gardens
Canberra, ACT
If you love plants — and especially if you love native Australian plants — this is a must. The gardens are huge, free, and genuinely stunning. It felt different from the Wagga Wagga gardens — more wild, more native, more "this is what Australia actually looks like when you let it grow."
📍 Canberra Walk-In Aviary
Canberra, ACT
You literally walk into a giant cage full of birds. They fly around you, land near you, and some of them are incredibly bold. It's a surreal experience — peaceful and chaotic at the same time. If you love birds (or even if you don't), it's one of those experiences that surprises you.
📍 The National Museum of Australia
Canberra, ACT
This was one of the more educational stops — and I mean that in the best way. The museum covers Australian history, Indigenous culture, and the story of the country in a way that's engaging without being dry. It's free, well-designed, and worth a couple of hours if you're in Canberra anyway.
📍 The Big Merino
Goulburn, NSW
You can't drive through Goulburn without stopping at the Big Merino — a 15-metre tall concrete sheep standing on the side of the highway. It's one of those classic Australian "big things" that makes absolutely no sense until you see it in person, and then you can't not take a photo with it. There's a small shop inside with wool products and souvenirs, and you can walk up into the sheep's head and look out through its eyes. Is it ridiculous? Yes. Did I love it? Also yes.
The souvenir situation
I came home with fridge magnets from almost every stop. It's become my thing — every place we visit, I grab a magnet. They're cheap, small, and now our fridge is basically a map of everywhere we've been together. It's my favourite way to collect memories without filling up a suitcase.
Is the Melbourne to Canberra drive worth it?
Absolutely. The drive itself is about seven hours, but when you break it up with stops like Tocumwal and Wagga Wagga, it doesn't feel long at all. Canberra gets a bad reputation for being boring, but honestly — there's more to do than people give it credit for. Especially if you like museums, gardens, and wildlife.
Our last stop before heading home was visiting my husband's childhood friend Gary in NSW. And that's where I finally found mung beans — if you know, you know. (Full story here.)
If you're planning a road trip from Melbourne, Canberra is closer than you think — and way more fun than people told you. You don't need a big budget or a perfect plan. Sometimes the best trips start with a honeymoon, a full tank of petrol, and a "let's just see what happens."
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