I'm going to be in Australia next week and am driving from Melbourne
to Canberra and then to Sydney. I'm looking for a driving guide with
points of interest and directions for this trip.

Hi,

I was unable to find precisely what you are looking for, and for good
reason - it is quite a boring journey, a long straight highway with
very few tourist attractions. Most Australians traveling from
Melbourne to Sydney will either do it in one day (12 hours) or two,
staying overnight in Albury. The detour through Canberra doesn't take
much longer.

Albury and Canberra have the only interesting things to look at
on-route.

The Tourist Office at the Town Hall, Swanston St, downtown Melbourne
has lots of free maps and brochures. Here are some maps and guides to
look at now:

Maps:
http://www.mynrma.com.au/travel/go/maps/maps_australia.shtml
http://www.wilmap.com.au/maplist.html

Driving Guide: Melbourne to Canberra
http://www.nowwhereroute.com/scripts/hsrun.exe/tourvic/tourVic/MapXtreme.htx;start=HS_MakeMapPage?Type=Melbourne_VIC_Canberra_ACT

Driving Guide: Canberra to Sydney
http://www.nowwhereroute.com/scripts/hsrun.exe/tourvic/tourVic/MapXtreme.htx;start=HS_MakeMapPage?Type=Canberra_ACT_Sydney_NSW

Maps of Canberra:
http://www.arta.com.au/actmaps/canberra.html
http://www.arta.com.au/k9-8.html

Strip Map
http://www.wilmap.com.au/stripmaps/hume.html

State Tourist Boards
http://www.visitvictoria.com/
http://www.visitnsw.com.au/
http://www.canberratourism.com.au/

Alternative Route:
http://www.visitnsw.com.au/touringbycar/AW/AW1.asp

Things to do in and near Canberra:
http://www.mynrma.com.au/travel/go/tra_des_can.shtml
http://www.canberratourism.com.au/frame1.cfm?pageID=27&cecil=go

Keywords:
tourism victoria australia 

robertskelton-ga (Melbournite)

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Clarification of Answer by robertskelton-ga on 30 Apr 2002 20:59 PDT

Here's some things to do in and around Albury:

http://www.tourismalburywodonga.com.au/main/index.htm
http://www.tourisminternet.com.au/wodonga1.htm

It is also called Albury-Wodonga (Albury on the Victorian side of the
border, Wodonga on the New South Wales side)

There is actually a lot of things to look at along the way from
Melbourne. For example - Glenrowan - the place of Ned Kelly last
stand. Bowral - home to Sir Don Bradman. National parks and plenty of
wineries. Don't limit yourself to Canberra.

An interesting detour would be to go to Sale, the 'capital' of
Gippsland, and onward to the Ninety Mile beach. This is wonderfully
desolate at this time of the year, and well worth the trip.

You can reach Sale via the beautiful Kosciuszco Alpine Way and then
through Albury and Bairnsdale, or via the South Coast Drive through
Bega and Eden.

Dear questioner,
                   Your researcher did a great job but as the comments
people made clear it depends what route you take. The true  main route
down the major highway from Sydney to Melbourne or Melbourne to Sydney
( the main highway in Australia) is one of the few boring trips in my
country continennt. However the alternative route down the east coast
is diffeernt alltogether and well worth the extra time,( i.e
mountains, thick forest, wildlife bounding across the roads etc).  Of
course you would be arriving almost at the start of our winter so
summer playgrounds en route at the various beach sites would not be
appropriate.  If you like drop in and get some sound advice face to
face  as I am right in the absolute centre of city in Spencer St , one
of a couple of main streets in this 4,000,000 strong city.   In fact
if you take airport bus into city you will be dropped off right in
front of my office, almost literally. If you take taxi then every taxi
driver in Melbourne knows Spencer st back to front. Just let me know
via your own comment in your own comments section of your question and
I will provide address/number

Good Day
there is a good site at www.travelmate.com.au an australian site where
you put in your destination points and it will map the route and give
you directions - helps with attractions, and petrol prices as well.

Enjoy your trip

Great info! Thanks so much. We're flying out tonight and arrive in
Melbourne on Sunday. Wish me luck driving on the left hand side1

Ick!  Albury is in New South Wales and Wodonga in Victoria - close but no cigar :)

Also - don't forget the Etamougha pub and the Dog on the TuckerBox (Gundagai).

Lots to see up the Hume, just don't be afraid to use the exits !!

Later,

Rich - http://www.informativeweb.com