Distances
How far apart are Australia's cities by car?
The numbers
Sydney to Melbourne is est. 876 km (544 mi), about 9 hours of driving; Sydney to Brisbane is est. 907 km (564 mi), about 9 h 30 min; Perth to Sydney is est. 3,844 km (2,389 mi), a 5-7 day drive. The chart below covers 12 mainland cities, in kilometers and miles.
Last checked October 21, 2026By Brett Gould2 sources ↓
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Australia is about the size of the lower 48 states, so most visitors fly between regions and drive within them.
Popular pairs
| From → to | Distance | Drive time (est., no stops) | Most people... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney → Canberra | 284 km (176 mi) | 3 h | drive it |
| Sydney → Newcastle | 161 km (100 mi) | 2 h | drive it |
| Brisbane → Gold Coast | 78 km (49 mi) | 1 h | drive it |
| Melbourne → Adelaide | 727 km (452 mi) | 8 h 15 min | drive it over 1-2 days, or via the Great Ocean Road |
| Sydney → Melbourne | 876 km (544 mi) | 9 h | drive over 1-2 days, or fly |
| Sydney → Brisbane | 907 km (564 mi) | 9 h 30 min | drive over 2+ days, or fly |
| Alice Springs → Uluru | 446 km (277 mi) | 4 h 45 min | take a tour or fly into Uluru; no niftirent pickup there yet |
| Darwin → Alice Springs | 1,497 km (930 mi) | 15 h 30 min | fly; no one-way from Darwin with niftirent today |
| Brisbane → Cairns | 1,693 km (1,052 mi) | 19 h 15 min | drive over a week+, or fly |
| Melbourne → Brisbane | 1,775 km (1,103 mi) | 18 h | fly, or drive over 3+ days |
| Darwin → Uluru | 1,941 km (1,206 mi) | 20 h 15 min | fly; no one-way from Darwin with niftirent today |
| Sydney → Cairns | 2,412 km (1,499 mi) | 27 h | fly, then rent |
| Adelaide → Perth | 2,606 km (1,619 mi) | 28 h | fly, then rent in Perth |
| Sydney → Perth | 3,844 km (2,389 mi) | 41 h | fly, then rent in Perth |
Full chart (km and miles)
| Sydney | Melbourne | Brisbane | Adelaide | Perth | Darwin | Cairns | Canberra | Alice Springs | Gold Coast | Newcastle | Uluru (Yulara) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | – | about 876 km 544 mi | about 907 km 564 mi | about 1,373 km 853 mi | about 3,844 km 2,389 mi | about 3,968 km 2,466 mi | about 2,412 km 1,499 mi | about 284 km 176 mi | about 2,762 km 1,716 mi | about 836 km 519 mi | about 161 km 100 mi | about 2,808 km 1,745 mi |
| Melbourne | about 876 km 544 mi | – | about 1,775 km 1,103 mi | about 727 km 452 mi | about 3,334 km 2,072 mi | about 3,747 km 2,328 mi | about 2,804 km 1,742 mi | about 652 km 405 mi | about 2,256 km 1,402 mi | about 1,692 km 1,051 mi | about 1,016 km 631 mi | about 2,302 km 1,430 mi |
| Brisbane | about 907 km 564 mi | about 1,775 km 1,103 mi | – | about 1,933 km 1,201 mi | about 4,131 km 2,567 mi | about 3,420 km 2,125 mi | about 1,693 km 1,052 mi | about 1,183 km 735 mi | about 2,990 km 1,858 mi | about 78 km 48 mi | about 768 km 477 mi | about 3,100 km 1,926 mi |
| Adelaide | about 1,373 km 853 mi | about 727 km 452 mi | about 1,933 km 1,201 mi | – | about 2,606 km 1,619 mi | about 3,022 km 1,878 mi | about 2,864 km 1,780 mi | about 1,161 km 721 mi | about 1,530 km 951 mi | about 1,988 km 1,235 mi | about 1,526 km 948 mi | about 1,577 km 980 mi |
| Perth | about 3,844 km 2,389 mi | about 3,334 km 2,072 mi | about 4,131 km 2,567 mi | about 2,606 km 1,619 mi | – | about 4,015 km 2,495 mi | about 4,870 km 3,026 mi | about 3,626 km 2,253 mi | about 3,086 km 1,918 mi | about 4,186 km 2,601 mi | about 3,848 km 2,391 mi | about 2,044 km 1,270 mi |
| Darwin | about 3,968 km 2,466 mi | about 3,747 km 2,328 mi | about 3,420 km 2,125 mi | about 3,022 km 1,878 mi | about 4,015 km 2,495 mi | – | about 2,718 km 1,689 mi | about 3,936 km 2,446 mi | about 1,497 km 930 mi | about 3,475 km 2,159 mi | about 3,874 km 2,407 mi | about 1,941 km 1,206 mi |
| Cairns | about 2,412 km 1,499 mi | about 2,804 km 1,742 mi | about 1,693 km 1,052 mi | about 2,864 km 1,780 mi | about 4,870 km 3,026 mi | about 2,718 km 1,689 mi | – | about 2,497 km 1,552 mi | about 2,287 km 1,421 mi | about 1,773 km 1,102 mi | about 2,286 km 1,420 mi | about 2,721 km 1,691 mi |
| Canberra | about 284 km 176 mi | about 652 km 405 mi | about 1,183 km 735 mi | about 1,161 km 721 mi | about 3,626 km 2,253 mi | about 3,936 km 2,446 mi | about 2,497 km 1,552 mi | – | about 2,548 km 1,583 mi | about 1,112 km 691 mi | about 437 km 272 mi | about 2,595 km 1,612 mi |
| Alice Springs | about 2,762 km 1,716 mi | about 2,256 km 1,402 mi | about 2,990 km 1,858 mi | about 1,530 km 951 mi | about 3,086 km 1,918 mi | about 1,497 km 930 mi | about 2,287 km 1,421 mi | about 2,548 km 1,583 mi | – | about 3,044 km 1,891 mi | about 2,770 km 1,721 mi | about 446 km 277 mi |
| Gold Coast | about 836 km 519 mi | about 1,692 km 1,051 mi | about 78 km 48 mi | about 1,988 km 1,235 mi | about 4,186 km 2,601 mi | about 3,475 km 2,159 mi | about 1,773 km 1,102 mi | about 1,112 km 691 mi | about 3,044 km 1,891 mi | – | about 698 km 434 mi | about 3,154 km 1,960 mi |
| Newcastle | about 161 km 100 mi | about 1,016 km 631 mi | about 768 km 477 mi | about 1,526 km 948 mi | about 3,848 km 2,391 mi | about 3,874 km 2,407 mi | about 2,286 km 1,420 mi | about 437 km 272 mi | about 2,770 km 1,721 mi | about 698 km 434 mi | – | about 2,817 km 1,750 mi |
| Uluru (Yulara) | about 2,808 km 1,745 mi | about 2,302 km 1,430 mi | about 3,100 km 1,926 mi | about 1,577 km 980 mi | about 2,044 km 1,270 mi | about 1,941 km 1,206 mi | about 2,721 km 1,691 mi | about 2,595 km 1,612 mi | about 446 km 277 mi | about 3,154 km 1,960 mi | about 2,817 km 1,750 mi | – |
Road distance between city centers, est. Download the chart (CSV)
Tasmania has no road link to the mainland (the Spirit of Tasmania car ferry runs between Geelong and Devonport; rental cars can't go on the ferry), so Tasmanian drives are on the road trips page.
Related questions
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Quick answers
How long does it take to drive from Sydney to Melbourne?
About 9 hours for est. 876 km (544 mi) on the inland Hume Highway, or about 13 hours for the coast road (est. 1,030 km), plus stops. Most people take 1-2 days inland or 5-7 days on the coast.
Can you drive across Australia?
Yes: Sydney to Perth is est. 3,844 km (2,389 mi), about 41 hours of driving. Most visitors fly it and rent at each end; our rental terms don't allow the Nullarbor crossing.
How far is Alice Springs from Uluru?
Est. 446 km (277 mi), about 4 h 45 min each way on sealed roads. We don't have rental pickups there yet; most visitors fly to Uluru and take tours.
Is it 1 km or 1 mile on Australian signs?
Kilometers. 100 km/h is about 62 mph.
Sources
1OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM)Road distances between city centers; Google Maps km where checked.router.project-osrm.org · Oct 21, 2026
2Google MapsDrive times in the Popular pairs table (no stops).maps · checked Oct 21, 2026
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