South Coast Roadie ~ The Complete Itinerary

When Eddie moved to Australia, I knew I had to show him the best parts right away. So, 1 week into his Australian adventure we hired a campervan and hit the M1 down to Melbourne.

My goal was to get to the Great Ocean Road and see as many Australian landmarks as we could along the way.

This 10 day trip covered 3 Major cities, 15 towns and the critically acclaimed ‘Dog on the Tucker box’. 

We had never experienced campervan life before, but we don't recommend doing this trip any other way!

Being able to take our accommodation with us made for a stress-free, extremely flexible journey.

The campervan helped us cut accommodation and food costs as we mostly cooked out of the van and stayed in holiday parks that cost $40 per night on average.

The downsides to having the campervan on this primarily coastal journey were the mess and the portable toilet.

We had to clean the van a few times a day to avoid getting sand and dirt in the bed, and adapting to use the toilet in a very small space was certainly an experience!

However, those were our only annoyances and trying out van life was extremely exciting!

Choosing your van on a budget.

After initially looking at van hire prices, I didn’t think a campervan trip was feasible; quotes were high and usually didn’t include the insurance costs either. However, after a lot of research through backpacker websites, we managed to secure a Jucy Coaster van for $198 a day for our 10-day trip, including insurance.

This brought our total Van hire cost to $1980 for 10 days, or $198 per day.

We spent on average $40 a night on campsites.

I break down overall costs as well as driving times throughout our itinerary!

... yes it was extremely embarrassing driving a massive green van with the word 'jucy' plastered everywhere, but hey, beggars can't be choosers and after some serious exposure therapy, our shame became hilarious.

The complete itinerary!

After we had secured our van, we thought out our 10 day trip. Eddie wanted to see Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, Uluru, Splash Planet, Byron Bay (basically anywhere the 2nd Inbetweeners movie was filmed). As any Australian would know this list was somewhat unachievable for our 10 day van trip but we made the best of the time we had.

Here's how we did it:

Day 1 - Getting used to van life

We began our day traipsing through Sydney's public transport with our luggage and groceries towards the van hire location.

We picked up the van and unpacked our things, then hit the M1 towards Wollongong. Navigating Sydney traffic in an enormous and embarrassing vehicle you’ve never driven is not an easy task, but with a regular supply of sweets and a playlist full of great tunes, it made for a fun new experience.

We opted for the scenic route, first visiting Stanwell Tops Lookout and then driving the famous Sea Cliff Bridge. The views were stunning; the road takes you from enchanted forests to coastal suburbia and on to enormous cliff faces.

Finally, we stopped on one of Wollongong’s many beaches for a brief rest before taking off again.

Jucy Campervan Hire to Stanwell Tops 1 hr drive

We then made our way to the popular Kiama Blowhole to grab some lunch from one of the local restaurants (dominoes). It was here we learnt just how difficult it was to find a big enough parking space.

We toured Kiama, enjoyed the waterfront and Eddie basked in the sun (as the British do).

Bulli Beach to Kiama Blowhole:                                  40 min drive

We drove towards our campsite next, taking a detour to Hyams Beach, the whitest beach with the squeakiest sand. The warm, crystal clear water was very welcome after a long day of driving and sightseeing.

Kiama Blowhole to Hyams/Bream Beach:                                       1 hr drive

We did our last drive for the day to our campsite at Bream Beach Holiday Park where we paid $40 for an unpowered site (one of the benefits of having a solar powered van). Eddie cooked up some butter chicken, which cost us about $15; and settled in amongst the Australian wildlife for the night.

Day 1: 2hr 40 min on the road.

           $265 for van hire, campsite costs and meals for the day.

Day 2 - A day of waterfronts

We began the second day with a visit to the beautiful waterfront town, Huskisson, offering a cosy atmosphere and great coffee. We took a brief walk through Voyager Park before departing towards Batemans Bay.

Huskisson to Batemans Bay                                             1hr 30 min drive

After a brief exploration of the Batemans Bay waterfront, we got back on the road to a town in the hills, Tilba Tilba.

Batemans Bay to Tilba Tilba                                            1hr 10 min drive

The rolling green hills of Tilba encompass the charming town that has several quirky shops and a peaceful pub where we opted for some pub classic parmies.

Tilba Tilba to Eden                                                          1 hr 25 min drive

We ended the day in the whale watching town, Eden. The afternoon was spent sighting dolphins and exploring Eden's beaches, local stores and the Woolies chocolate aisle.

We stayed at Ingenia Holiday's Eden Beachfront campsite on an unpowered ensuite site for $30.

This time I made a carbonara which cost us about $15 and learnt how to unload our van toilet. A movie night was in order so we settled in for a movie night under the heavy rain.

Day 2: 4 hrs 5 mins on the road.

            $283 on van hire, campsite costs, dinner and lunch at Tilba Tilba.

Day 3 - Our mistake

On day 3 we made the journey from Eden to Lakes Entrance. We began by exploring Eden’s boardwalks and wetlands, and then made our way to Mallacoota.

...Then the rain came.

Eden to Mallacoota                                                                 1 hr 30 min drive

Mallacoota was recommended to us by a few people, so we thought we’d take the detour. The day was wet and wild, and the detour took us an hour longer than it should have. The views off of the coastal town were obstructed by rain clouds, and the added hour and a half of travel was not welcomed on our already long travel day.

Mallacoota to Lakes Entrance                                                 2 hrs 30 min drive

After taking off from Mallacoota, wet and a little annoyed, we headed towards our destination for the night, Lakes Entrance. We arrived at Nicholson River Holiday Park and were pleasantly surprised to have arrived at what seemed to be a 2009 shreddies commercial (for the UK viewers) taking place in the rec room. After checking in, we drove out to Lakes Entrance to get dinner (McNuggets), explore the beautiful town and visit its remote beaches before settling down for the night.

Day 3: 4 hrs on the road.

           $350 spent on van hire, campsite costs, petrol ($90) and meals for the day.

Day 4 - Our favourite day!

Day 4’s morning involved an early start and a 4 hr drive to Melbourne’s top vacation spot (according to my dad), Mornington Peninsula. 

Lakes Entrance to the Mornington Peninsula                                       4 hr drive

We ventured to the Arthur's Seat gondola base and caught the carriage up the mountain. The peak offered expansive views of the Mornington Peninsula and many great bush walks, however the day was damn hot and we were dying for a swim. We had the opportunity to enjoy the illustrious walk back down the mountain, however due to sheer lack of will power we opted for the less 'physically demanding' route going for our second round down the gondola to the foothills and onto our campsite at Tootgarook.

Amid our frustration with the heat and lust for cold water we rushed to find our campsite which led to a kafuffle between Eddie and leftover tree clippings. Thankfully our insurance covered the damage done to the van and Eddie still swears that the tree moved.

This campsite was our favourite part of the trip though, tree altercations aside. We parked right up on the beach, less than 15 metres from the water… and you can guarantee we made a b-line straight to it. The picturesque scenery of Tootgarook Foreshore campsite was unmatched. We went for a kickabout on the beach and spent a few hours sunbaking in this serene spot, and for only $41 a night! We would have gladly stayed here for multiple nights, but we were determined to get to the Great Ocean Road. 

We dined in a Greek restaurant in the nearby suburb, McCrae and walked the streets before spending more time admiring the view from our camper, walking along the beach and falling asleep to the sounds of waves.

Day 4: 4 hrs on the road.

           $480 for van hire, campsite costs, petrol ($100), eating out and the Gondola ride.

Day 5 - The Great Ocean Road

Day 5 was full of adventure!

Another early morning as we quickly explored Portsea before boarding the Portsea-Queens cliff Ferry. That's right. We took our van over the water! This adventure was super fun (I love boats)...(Eddie was not as thrilled as I was).

We drove from Queens cliff to Marengo, stopping at numerous lookouts in Torquay and Lorne before continuing along the Great Ocean Road.

Queens cliff to Marengo                                                            2 hrs 15 min drive

We stopped off at multiple lookout points, cove’s and beaches as we drove the long, winding ocean road that took us from forest to cliff face. 

This gorgeous day of road tripping along the cliff edges ended at Marengo Family Campervan Park, where we spent $40 for the night.

We decided to go for a walk along the beach towards Apollo Bay. What was meant to be a short afternoon walk turned into an evening adventure. We tried out a local bar and dined in an American diner. The walk back to our site was memorable (mostly for the coldness), on one side of us was the beach, mountains on the other, connected by a blanket of stars which felt a little magical.

Day 5: 2 hrs 15 mins on the road.

           $250 for van hire, campsite costs and eating out.

Day 6 - From the sea to the city

Day 6 felt like a fever dream. We began in coastal Victoria and ended in the centre of Melbourne City. We departed Marengo early to get to the 12 Apostles around late morning.

Marengo to the 12 Apostles                                                              1 hr 15 min drive

The apostles were breathtaking, and we were glad to have reached our trip's main destination. Now that we had driven the furthest we were planning to go, we began heading towards home. We planned to spend the night in Melbourne, which posed a dilemma... how on were we supposed to get a campervan into Melbourne? Can we park it? Why aren’t Melbourne holiday parks campervan-friendly?! Arghhh!!!

After calling around and weighing up our options, we thankfully found BIG4 Melbourne Holiday Park, still 50 mins out from the city centre but it was the best option we had.

The 12 Apostles to Melbourne                                                           3 hr drive

We enjoyed the campsite's facilities (the spa bath) and freshened up before venturing into the city for a Valentine's Day dinner.

We fell in love with Melbourne! The city is alive with street performances, amazing food and a vibrant culture. We found Melbourne a lot more ‘young adult friendly’ than Sydney and would've gladly spent a few more days here. 

We ate by the Yarra River and danced in an Irish bar recommended by one of the locals. Even after a long day of travel, our experience in Melbourne was one to remember.

Day 6: 4 hrs and 15 mins on the road.

$479 spent on van hire, campsite costs ($65), petrol ($100) and eating out.

Day 7 - A day of road.

After our night out in Melbourne we were reluctant to hit the road, seeing as we had 4 hours driving ahead of us of which we had been warned was mostly flat with no significant landmarks... great.

Melbourne to Bowna                                                                        4 hr drive

We stopped in Benalla on the way to break up the trip and refuel before continuing to our next campsite, Lake Hume Holiday Park. 

Lake Hume embodied serenity.

The holiday park was surrounded by greenery and located on the edge of the lake. We had a peaceful night here, petting the farmyard animals, playing some football, and Eddie cooked burgers while we watched the sunset over the lake. 

Day 7: 4 hrs on the road.

           $242 spent on campervan hire, campsite costs ($29) and groceries.

Day 8 - Dog on the Tucker box!!

Another major city! Day 8 is the day we visited Canberra! 

Lake Hume to Canberra                                                                      4 hr drive

On our way up, we saw the real gem of the whole trip, Dog on the Tucker box. An Australian treasure that left Eddie severely underwhelmed, especially because I had been talking it up the whole trip! Seeing it in real life left me in tears… tears of laughter from Eddie's pure disbelief!

Anyway, moving on from the journey's highlight, we made our way into Canberra and to our first stop off, Cockington Green.

This attraction made Eddie feel right at home! Cockington Green was full of miniature English landmarks! And a vast amount of the models were of villages in Suffolk, Eddie's home county.

On we went to Questacon! The top attraction of Canberra for the young and the young at heart. We built Lego and experimented with science, then made our way to Australia’s old Parliament House and then to Australia’s new Parliament House (both very boring but still an important landmark...apparently).

We were famished after our self-guided tour of Canberra and hunted down a hearty curry before hitting the sheets.

That night we stayed at Capital Country Holiday Park for $40 and regretted our choice to spend valuable time in the city that always sleeps.

P.S if you're under the age of 45 and plan to visit Canberra on holiday, don't bother.

Day 8: 4 hrs on the road.

$508 spent on van hire, campsite costs, Questacon & Cockington Green tickets, petrol ($114) and eating out.

Day 9 - Goats!

Day 9 began with a short drive to our friend's goat farm in Marulan. 

Canberra — Marulan                                                                  1 hr 20 mins

We were super lucky to spend the day surrounded by goats, cows and alpacas, and do some farm work as well, giving Eddie a rural Australian experience (herding goats and rescuing lawn mowers). We enjoyed the peace and serenity of the farm before heading back to the chaotic streets of Sydney!

Day 9: 1 hr 20 mins on the road.

$213 spent on van hire and meals for the day.

Day 10 - The adventure ends

Our last day in the van began by saying a sad goodbye and thank you to our friends and their goats. We drove to Bowral for breakfast and reminisced about the events of our trip over crepes.

Marulan — Bowral                                                                                   40 min drive

After exploring Bowral’s streets and antique stores, we hit the road again for the last time towards the van rental. 

Eddie will deny the allegation, however I witnessed a tear stream down his face whilst we blasted James Blunts 'Goodbye my lover' at a volume that would compete with any Apollo rocket launch.

Bowral — Van Rental                                                                             1 hr 40 min drive

A solemn goodbye was in order once we had refueled and cleaned out our temporary home on wheels for the last time, and made our way back home after an extraordinary adventure down the south coast.

Day 10: 2 hrs 20 min on the road

$350 spent on van hire, petrol ($112) and eating out.

The Important Stuff

Altogether, our 10 day road trip down the south coast cost us $3420 or $342 per day on average. 

We could have saved on food costs if we had cooked more rather than eaten out, and our accommodation costs could have been lower if we hadn’t slept in Holiday Parks. 

Due to our van being solar powered, we realistically didn’t need to stay in holiday parks; however we valued their security, community and hot showers! 

In terms of finding parks to stay in and places to visit, we used Google Maps to judge driving distances each day, accommodation options and tourist attractions. 

We highly encourage all travelers to try out van life, as we loved taking our accommodation with us and parking in front of beautiful views. It made for a more flexible trip as we pretty well decided on our destination each day and booked our campsites as we went. Having a bathroom with us was also quite handy on the road, and our shower tap was very useful after a salty swim. 

Trip Moments