Road trip from NSW to Victoria: Interstate revelry

If you're patient, around sunset or sunrise, you might even be lucky enough to see the odd kangaroo duck into the water for a swim, or even, rumour has it, a quick bodysurf. Eighty kilometres on is our first small town without traffic lights: Braidwood in the NSW Southern Tablelands. Once a centre for the gold rush, which brought the bushrangers swarming along with it, Braidwood was recently heritage-listed, and with good reason.

Celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2014, its main street is lined with stunning Georgian architecture and has been the scene of classic Australian movies like The Year My Voice Broke, Mick Jagger's Ned Kelly and On Our Selection.

It's a fabulously atmospheric town to explore on foot, with an historic route mapped out for visitors via the museum, wooden cottages of the 1850s and 1860s, grand old hotels, stone churches, the original courthouse and a fascinating graveyard.

For breaks, the town that was once the southernmost mainland settlement in Australia has a surprisingly good selection of cafes, as well as an award-winning bakery.

DAY THREE: BRAIDWOOD TO MILAWA - 500km, five and a half hours' driving, without stopping

Two hours into this drive, pull over for lunch in the riverside village of Jugiong, at the Long Track Pantry, a cafeé and country food store packed full of hand-made chutneys, relishes and jams.

Then crossing into North East Victoria's wine and gourmet food region, they become the perfect accompaniment to the award-winning wares of the Milawa Cheese Company. Here, all cheeses are made by hand using traditional European methods, and without preservatives, with the tasting room the perfect opportunity to sample the full range. There are also plenty of wine tastings at a number of cellar doors.

Milawa's Wandiligong Maze is entertaining, especially for the kids, but the town also provides the perfect base to explore Ned Kelly country. At Benalla, Kelly's famed green sash is displayed, as well as Sidney Nolan's breathtaking tapestry depicting the siege of Glenrowan, Kelly's last stand, and you can also visit the cells where he was taken.

Nearby in the town of Glenrowan, you can trace his footsteps with a self-guided walk, and the animated and computerised robot show recreating his final shoot-out isn't to be missed. It's bizarre, but fun!

A short drive away, at Greta, Kelly's descendants finally got their chance earlier this year (2013) to bury the outlaw's remains in the town cemetery, alongside his mum. It's a spot that's also well worth a visit, although it does take some searching for his final resting place ...

DAY FIVE: MILAWA TO BEECHWORTH - 30km, half-an-hour's driving

The Ned Kelly bonanza continues in Beechworth, which houses the courthouse where he, his mother and his supporters were tried and the jail where they were all held. Watch a re-enactment of the proceedings at the courthouse, and a documentary at the town hall.

There's even a Ned Kelly meat pie on offer at the local bakery – steak topped with bacon, cheese and an egg.

DAY SIX: BEECHWORTH TO EDEN VIA OMEO – 500km, six and a half hours' driving, without stops

This is a big driving day, but the scenery passes the time quickly through the Victorian high country, and the Australian Alps, with a possible stop to admire the scenery at the Kosciusko Lookout on the Great Alpine Way.

Try the remote little town of Omeo for lunch, the scene of the local western movie Red Hill. The town doesn't disappoint; it's hard not to imagine a gunfight down the old main street, with Ryan Kwanten and Steve Bisley warring between themselves over the best way to catch villains.

Crossing back into NSW, Eden is a picture perfect coastal spot over Twofold Bay, once the home of a world-renowned whaling station. Back then, legend has it that a killer whale named Old Tom used to lure baleen whales over to the hunters for a reward of the doomed whales' lips. The Eden Killer Whale Museum tells his story, and has his preserved skeleton among its prized exhibits. Suggest staying three nights here at The Seahorse Inn (see box).

A short drive south is Boydtown, the home of pioneer Ben Boyd, who built it intending to be the capital of Australia. The Ben Boyd National Park has pretty nature trails, and Boyd's Tower is a landmark of the failed empire of a truly extraordinary man.

DAY NINE: EDEN TO BERMAGUI - 100km, one and a half hours' driving, without stops

Drive along the coastal road up to the Sapphire Coast town of Bermagui, another pretty spot, best known for its fabulous deep sea fishing. The beautiful beaches here are great for swimming. Bird-watching is the big draw of nearby Wallaga Lake. Suggest staying three nights here at Bellbird Cottage B & B (see box).

While here, take a day drip up to Narooma and catch a boat out to Montague Island, a nature reserve with a startling white solar-powered lighthouse against dark jagged rocks that look as if they're moving … until you realise they're actually Australian and New Zealand Fur Seals jumping off and back on. The island's also a stop-off for about 8000 breeding pairs of penguin every year on their migratory path.

A little further north, Mogo Zoo is also worth visiting. A privately-owned zoo 10km south of Batemans Bay, it's famed for its rare white lions. With a mission to preserve the lives of endangered animals, it's home to more than 40 rare and exotic species and every day there's a schedule for visitors to watch them being fed, while listening to talks about the various residents, like red pandas, tigers or zebras.

DAY 12: BERMAGUI TO SYDNEY - 400km, five hours' driving, without stops

This is another long drive, but there are plenty of places along the way to break the journey if you're not in a rush.

Batemans Bay is always great for fish and chips and if you missed Pebbly Beach on the way down, this is another chance to stop. Ulladulla is a pretty little town to visit, and at Kiama make sure you go to see the stunning blowhole. North of Wollongong, stop on the escarpment to see the view, before continuing on back to Sydney – hopefully refreshed and restored for all those blasted traffic lights that await …

TRIP NOTES

MORE INFORMATION

destinationnsw.com.au; visitvictoria.com

STAYING THERE

BRAIDWOOD Cedar Lodge Motel, 54 Duncan Street Ph (02) 4842 2027

MILAWA Milawa Motel, 1615 Snow Road milawamotel.com.au Ph (03) 5727 3326

BEECHWORTH Golden Heritage Motor Inn & Cottages, 51 Sydney Road goldenheritage.com.au (03) 5728 1404

EDEN The Seahorse Inn, Boydtown Park Road seahorseinn.com.au Ph (02) 6496 1361

BERMAGUI Bellbird Cottage B&B, 88 Nutley's Creek Road, bellbirdcottage-bnb.com (02) 6493 5274

DINING THERE

Fifty kilometres from Braidwood, don't miss Le Très Bon restaurant at Bungendore, run by passionate French chef Christophe Gregoire with a special local black truffle menu during the harvest season. There are even cooking classes if you have le courage. letresbon.com.au Ph 02 6238 0662

At Milawa, make time to have at least one meal at The Milawa Gourmet Hotel, a cosy renovated 1865 bistro specialising in regional gourmet fare and a selection of local wines, served in front of the log fire on cold days and nights, and al fresco in the garden when it's warmer. milawagourmethotel.com.au (03) 5727 3208

South to north

If starting this roadtrip from Melbourne, head out on the Hume Highway (M31), pass through Glenrowan and then turn east towards Milawa – your first stop. After that, head for Beechworth, then Omeo, Eden and Bermagui. After that, head north to Braidwood then go via Canberra to rejoin the Hume Highway at Yass to return to Melbourne.