Sydney to Melbourne inland

Explore the Harbour City

Day 1–3 in Sydney

Famed for its golden beaches and magnificent harbour, Australia’s biggest city is as glossy as it is iconic, and a must-see for many tourists heading down-under for their next trip. Visitors can easily spend a week in this bush-fringed metropolis; hiking the national parks and coastal walks which edge the city, spotting tanned surfers at Bondi Bay and coral-rimmed Manly Beach, or wandering the open-air markets of The Rocks, a hip, historic neighbourhood lying in the shadow of Sydney Harbour Bridge. For those who prefer grunge to glitz, head to the breweries of Marrickville or to bohemian-favourite Newtown. There’s something for everyone in the Harbour City.

Cycle around Australia’s capital

Day 4–5 in Canberra

Since becoming Australia’s capital in 1927, Canberra has evolved from a relatively quiet, rural city into a fully cosmopolitan metropolis, with a food and cultural scene to match.

Visitors can tour the many sights on offer — including the Parliament House, National Museum of Australia, Australian War Memorial and National Gallery of Australia — or grab a bike to cycle around the manmade Lake Burley Griffen and the city’s Yarramumla district, which is home to a striking selection of embassies. If city-life simply isn’t your thing, head out on a bushwalk through the lush Namadgi National Park, which is only a 30 minutes drive from Canberra’s city centre.

Climb Mount Kosciuszko — Australia’s highest mountain

Day 6 in Mount Kosciuszko

Standing 2,228m tall, Mount Kosciuszko in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales is 21km round walk if you choose to hike the entire Merrits Nature Track. Walking through forested valleys, crossing small streams and summitting the jagged peak are worth it for the views across the mountains.

Follow in Ned Kelly’s footsteps in Beechworth

Day 7–8 in Beechworth

The legendary Ned Kelly is Australia’s most famous outlaw, best known for wearing a bulletproof suit in his final shootout with the police. Visit the charming gold rush towns of Beechworth and Ballarat — the former is famous for being the scene of Kelly's trial and subsequent imprisonment and an excellent place to learn more about this mysterious figure.

Get creative in hipster Melbourne

Day 9–11 in Melbourne

Australia’s self-proclaimed culture capital may not have the golden charms of its northerly cousin, but what it lacks in glam it makes up for in urban cool. With over a quarter of its population born overseas, the city’s food scene is as diverse as its occupants, and fine dining restaurants sit alongside casual Vietnamese street stalls.

A hipster at heart, Melbourne’s art scene ranges from the world-class National Gallery of Victoria to the street-art murals which adorn the walls of its most fashionable neighbourhoods; up-and-coming Footscray and historic Fitzroy.

For a truly trippy experience, grab some “tinnies” and visit the city on its annual White Night — a celebration of modern art in the form of various light installations which span the CBD.