Next 7 departures
- SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Fog14°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Mostly sunny9°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Fog9°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Light rain14°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Light rain17°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Sunny19°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Mostly sunny17°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Mostly sunny14°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy15°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Cloudy15°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Cloudy17°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Partly sunny18°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Cloudy19°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Sunny18°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 14–18°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Partly sunny18°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Sunny14°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Sunny18°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Mostly sunny17°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Sunny17°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Mostly sunny16°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Light rain14°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy16°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny9°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny11°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Sunny14°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Sunny15°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Sunny15°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Sunny16°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Sunny15°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–20°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy9°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Cloudy10°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Sunny15°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Sunny16°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Sunny16°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Sunny17°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Sunny20°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 10–24°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Mostly sunny14°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy10°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Cloudy13°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Sunny17°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Mostly sunny20°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Partly sunny20°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Cloudy21°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Partly sunny24°C - SatOct 10
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 15–23°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy17°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy18°C Breadalbane9:15 AM AEDT Cloudy20°C Gundagai10:45 AM AEDT Cloudy23°C Albury12:15 PM AEDT Rain showers18°C Benalla1:30 PM AEDT Rain15°C Seymour2:30 PM AEDT Rain showers16°C Melbourne3:30 PM AEDT Rain showers17°C
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Sydney (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Sydney, NSWStart 68 melevation
- Bowral, NSWKm 114 · 1 h 11 min 681 melevation
- Breadalbane, NSWKm 217 · 2 h 11 min 759 melevation
- Gundagai, NSWKm 375 · 3 h 41 min 219 melevation
- Albury, NSWKm 550 · 5 h 22 min 164 melevation
- Benalla, VICKm 666 · 6 h 28 min 174 melevation
- Seymour, VICKm 766 · 7 h 26 min 142 melevation
- Melbourne, VICKm 861 · 8 h 34 min 23 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Sydney, Breadalbane and Melbourne.
| Month | Sydney 39 m | Breadalbane Goulburn station · 670 m | Melbourne 31 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | High / low °C | High / low °C | |
| Jan | 27° / 20° | 29° / 14° | 27° / 16° |
| Feb | 27° / 20° | 27° / 14° | 27° / 16° |
| Mar | 26° / 18° | 24° / 11° | 25° / 15° |
| Apr | 24° / 15° | 20° / 8° | 21° / 12° |
| May | 21° / 12° | 16° / 5° | 18° / 10° |
| Jun | 18° / 10° | 13° / 3° | 15° / 8° |
| Jul | 18° / 9° | 12° / 2° | 15° / 7° |
| Aug | 19° / 10° | 13° / 2° | 16° / 8° |
| Sep | 22° / 12° | 17° / 5° | 18° / 9° |
| Oct | 23° / 15° | 20° / 7° | 21° / 11° |
| Nov | 24° / 17° | 24° / 10° | 23° / 13° |
| Dec | 26° / 18° | 26° / 12° | 25° / 14° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): SYDNEY OBSERVATORY HILL, AS (ASN00066062, 39 m); GOULBURN TAFE, AS (ASN00070263, 670 m); MELBOURNE REGIONAL OFFICE, AS (ASN00086071, 31 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for New South Wales and Victoria rather than repeat them.
- New South Wales · Live Traffic NSWLive Traffic NSW
- Victoria · VicRoadsVicRoads
Check the official forecast from Bureau of Meteorology and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Sydney to Melbourne with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Sydney to Melbourne?
861 km (535 miles), about 8½ hours of driving without stops, by way of M31. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Breadalbane, at 759 m (2,491 ft). It comes at km 217, about 2 h 11 min of driving after you leave Sydney.
How cold is Breadalbane in July?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Goulburn (670 m), averages a high of 12°C and a low of 2°C in July (1991–2020 averages).
How cold is Melbourne in July?
Melbourne averages a high of 15°C and a low of 7°C in July (1991–2020 averages).