G'Day Backpacker Jobs — Backpacker & Casual Work Australia

All road trips

VIC, NSW

Melbourne to Sydney — Gippsland & Sapphire Coast

A slower alternative to the Hume Highway via beaches, Gippsland and the Sapphire Coast.

Build a day-by-day driving plan

Suggested days
12 suggested days · 7 as a shorter start
Vehicle
2WD on suitable sealed routes

Stops, in order

  1. 1Melbourne
  2. 2Phillip Island
  3. 3Wilson’s Promontory
  4. 4Sale
  5. 5Lakes Entrance
  6. 6Mallacoota
  7. 7Eden
  8. 8Merimbula
  9. 9Bermagui
  10. 10Narooma
  11. 11Batemans Bay
  12. 12Jervis Bay
  13. 13Kiama
  14. 14Sydney

No driving time or distance is shown. A straight line on a map would be wrong for ferries, the Gulf, Cape York and the Kimberley.

Day by day

  1. Days 1–2

    Melbourne → Phillip Island

    Melbourne: laneway culture and bayside neighbourhoods; Phillip Island: penguin viewing and rugged coastline.

    Suggested overnight: Phillip Island

  2. Days 3–4

    Wilson’s Promontory → Sale

    Wilson’s Promontory: coastal hikes and spectacular granite hills; Sale: Gippsland heritage town.

    Suggested overnight: Sale

  3. Days 5–6

    Lakes Entrance → Mallacoota

    Lakes Entrance: lake system, beaches and seafood; Mallacoota: Croajingolong wilderness gateway.

    Suggested overnight: Mallacoota

  4. Days 7–8

    Eden → Merimbula

    Eden: whaling heritage and seasonal marine wildlife; Merimbula: beaches and coastal lagoon.

    Suggested overnight: Merimbula

  5. Days 9–10

    Bermagui → Narooma

    Bermagui: Sapphire Coast harbour village; Narooma: turquoise bays and Montague Island cruises.

    Suggested overnight: Narooma

  6. Day 11

    Batemans Bay → Jervis Bay

    Batemans Bay: coastal town and riverfront; Jervis Bay: white-sand beaches and marine park.

    Suggested overnight: Jervis Bay

  7. Day 12

    Kiama → Sydney

    Kiama: blowhole and coastal walk; Sydney: harbour walks, beaches and city experiences.

    Suggested overnight: Sydney

Things to do

Phillip Island penguin viewing; Wilsons Prom walking tour; Jervis Bay cruise.

Ideas only. There is no booking button, price or tour link until a real product is approved.

Find work near this route

These towns are editorial hubs. A regional town is not automatically 88-day eligible. That depends on your visa, the work, the postcode and current Home Affairs rules.

Each link opens the live job board. If nothing is listed, that search is empty. It is not a hidden vacancy.

Producer names from the directory

Matched by town name in the source file. Not checked as nearby by road, and not known to be hiring.

  • Kingfisher Citrus (Sale, VIC)
  • Blue Sky Organics (Murrindal / Bairnsdale, VIC)
  • Picnic Point Farm (Bairnsdale, VIC)
  • Leadoux Turkeys (Bairnsdale, VIC).

Open the farm directory — a list of places, not job ads. Sign in to view it.

Road, ferry and access

  • Phillip Island and Wilsons Promontory are sizeable southbound detours from the direct route.

Specified work rules: subclass 417 and subclass 462. This page is a travel guide, not migration advice.