Next 7 departures
- SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Fog14°C M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Sunny13°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Mostly sunny9°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Fog9°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Cloudy15°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Light rain showers10°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy15°C M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Cloudy13°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Cloudy13°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Cloudy14°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Cloudy12°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–18°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Partly sunny18°C M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Mostly sunny18°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Sunny14°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Sunny16°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Mostly sunny16°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Sunny17°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Rain showers9°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 M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny9°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Cloudy11°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Sunny12°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Mostly sunny11°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Partly sunny11°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Mostly sunny9°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Mostly sunny13°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy9°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Cloudy10°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Sunny12°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Mostly sunny11°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Sunny11°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Sunny16°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 10–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Mostly sunny14°C M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Mostly sunny12°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy10°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Cloudy13°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Cloudy12°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Cloudy14°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Mostly sunny15°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Mostly sunny15°C - SatOct 10
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–21°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy17°C M31 near Campbelltown7:30 AM AEDT Cloudy15°C Bowral8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy18°C Goulburn9 AM AEDT Cloudy20°C Canberra9:45 AM AEDT Cloudy20°C Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales line10:15 AM AEDT Cloudy20°C Cooma11 AM AEDT Light rain showers21°C Thredbo12:15 PM AEDT Heavy rain11°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
- M31 near Campbelltown, NSWKm 51 · 36 min 62 melevation
- Bowral, NSWKm 114 · 1 h 11 min 681 melevation
- Goulburn, NSWKm 196 · 1 h 58 min 642 melevation
- Canberra, ACTKm 285 · 2 h 51 min 554 melevation
- Australian Capital Territory–New South Wales lineState line · Km 317 · 3 h 12 min 733 melevation
- Cooma, NSWKm 396 · 4 h 5 min 796 melevation
- Thredbo, NSWKm 492 · 5 h 14 min 1,385 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Sydney, Cooma and Thredbo.
| Month | Sydney 39 m | Cooma 778 m | Thredbo 1,380 m |
|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | High / low °C | High / low °C | |
| Jan | 27° / 20° | 28° / 11° | 22° / 8° |
| Feb | 27° / 20° | 26° / 11° | 21° / 7° |
| Mar | 26° / 18° | 24° / 8° | 18° / 5° |
| Apr | 24° / 15° | 20° / 4° | 14° / 2° |
| May | 21° / 12° | 15° / 0° | 10° / -1° |
| Jun | 18° / 10° | 12° / -1° | 7° / -2° |
| Jul | 18° / 9° | 11° / -3° | 6° / -3° |
| Aug | 19° / 10° | 13° / -2° | 7° / -2° |
| Sep | 22° / 12° | 16° / 1° | 10° / 0° |
| Oct | 23° / 15° | 20° / 4° | 14° / 2° |
| Nov | 24° / 17° | 23° / 7° | 17° / 4° |
| Dec | 26° / 18° | 25° / 9° | 20° / 6° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): SYDNEY OBSERVATORY HILL, AS (ASN00066062, 39 m); COOMA VISITORS CENTRE, AS (ASN00070278, 778 m); THREDBO VILLAGE, AS (ASN00071041, 1,380 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 Australian Capital Territory rather than repeat them.
- New South Wales · Live Traffic NSWLive Traffic NSW
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 Thredbo 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 Thredbo?
492 km (306 miles), about 5 hours of driving without stops, by way of M31 and M23. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Thredbo, at 1,385 m (4,543 ft). It comes at km 492, about 5 h 14 min of driving after you leave Sydney.
How cold is Thredbo in July?
Thredbo averages a high of 6°C and a low of -3°C in July (1991–2020 averages).