A practical geelong to toowoomba campervan route, not a dash

This geelong to toowoomba drive is not about collecting capital cities. It is about getting a motorhome north-east without feeding it to Sydney traffic or asking a 2WD rental van to become a farm ute. The line below runs Geelong to Bendigo, Echuca and Hay, then follows the Newell Highway through West Wyalong, Dubbo, Coonabarabran, Narrabri and Moree before turning for Goondiwindi and Toowoomba.

By this overnight-friendly route, allow roughly 1,760 km and 20 hours of wheel time before stops. Four days is possible if you enjoy arriving with square eyes and a fridge full of regret. Six days is much kinder, especially if this is your first big inland motorhome road trip.

• Do: keep the first day short if you collect late; Geelong to Bendigo is plenty after handover and a supermarket run.
• Do not: blindly follow a dirt-road shortcut suggested by a phone app. Many hire agreements restrict unsealed roads, and black-soil roads can turn to soap after rain.
• Good pace: 250–350 km per day gives time for fuel, dump points, laundry, and the sacred grey-nomad afternoon cuppa.

Most of this route is sealed, but it is still inland Australia. Servos close earlier than city drivers expect, card machines can sulk, and a headwind across the Riverina can make a thirsty van thirstier. A typical 2-berth or 4-berth camper may use around 11–16 L/100 km; larger motorhomes can use more, especially at 100 km/h with the air-con working.

The longest useful planning gap is Hay to West Wyalong at about 265 km if you do not detour for fuel. Moree to Toowoomba is about 345 km, but you can break it at Goondiwindi and Millmerran. Treat half a tank as your refill reminder, not the moment you begin a philosophical debate with the fuel light.

• Fuel before: leaving Hay, West Wyalong, Coonabarabran and Moree.
• Road trains: expect B-doubles and grain trucks on the Newell and Gore highways; hold your line, ease off slightly when they overtake, and do not drift onto the soft shoulder.
• Wildlife: dawn and dusk are roo o'clock, especially between Hay, West Wyalong and Coonabarabran.

For campervan sleepers, the easy pattern is powered site, showground, powered site, free or low-cost camp, powered site. Powered holiday parks commonly sit around $35–$65 a night depending on season and facilities; showgrounds are often cheaper, roughly $15–$30 when open to travellers. Do not assume every oval or riverside reserve allows overnight stays.

Free camping rules change by council, flood damage, event season and how badly last summer's visitors behaved. If a sign says no camping, it means your van too, even if you are just parked with the curtains drawn and a guilty kettle on.

• Good first nights: Bendigo, Hay and Dubbo all make practical stops with shops, fuel and dump-point options nearby.
• National parks: book where required, stay only in designated campgrounds, and remember pets are generally not allowed in NSW and Queensland national parks.
• Self-contained etiquette: no grey water on the ground unless a site explicitly allows it; use dump points for toilet cassettes and keep the place boringly clean.

This route is kind to motorhomes because the towns are regular enough to reset the van every day or two. Public dump points are commonly found around visitor centres, showgrounds, caravan parks or service precincts in places such as Bendigo, Echuca/Moama, Hay, West Wyalong, Dubbo, Narrabri, Moree, Goondiwindi and Toowoomba. Check the current listing before you roll in; dump points do close for maintenance.

Fresh water is the quiet hero of this drive. In summer, inland NSW can sit at 35–42°C, and a parked motorhome becomes a pie warmer with curtains. Carry drinking water separately as well as tank water, and top up before free camping.

• Water: use signed potable taps only; not every tap at a park, servo or dump point is drinkable.
• LPG: swap-and-go bottles are widely available in larger towns; built-in motorhome gas systems may need approved refill points.
• Do not: wait until Sunday evening in a small town to discover your gas bottle is empty and the only open shop sells bait, ice and opinions.

From Geelong to the Riverina the country opens up fast: flat paddocks, irrigation channels, grain silos and straight roads that test concentration more than cornering skill. After Moree you are on the Queensland side of things, with summer storms, floodway signs and the climb into Toowoomba waiting at the end.

The Toowoomba Range is the one place on this trip where heavy-vehicle thinking helps. Use lower gears on the descent, leave space, and do not ride the brakes in a loaded motorhome. If you are collecting in Victoria and dropping in Queensland, check one-way hire availability online early; school holidays and winter migration season can tighten supply.

• Wet season note: western NSW and southern Queensland roads can close after heavy rain, especially minor roads across black soil.
• Height: know your van height, often around 2.7–3.4 m, before entering covered parking or low service-station canopies.
• Unsealed roads: short access tracks may still be restricted by your hire conditions; read them before playing explorer.

The most relaxed version is six days: Geelong to Bendigo, Bendigo to Hay, Hay to West Wyalong, West Wyalong to Dubbo, Dubbo to Moree, then Moree to Toowoomba. That gives you a few early finishes, proper dump-and-fill windows, and a chance to buy groceries before the bottle-o closes and everyone starts calling it character building.

If you are confident with long-distance driving, you can compress it to five days by pushing through to Dubbo from West Wyalong or combining Dubbo and Coonabarabran. Two drivers help, but tiredness in a motorhome is still tiredness; the bed being three steps behind you is not a medical exemption.

• Best booking move: check availability online once you know your travel month, berth size and whether you need a one-way drop-off.
• Best season: April to October is generally kinder for heat; winter nights inland can still drop near 0–5°C.
• Big Lap bonus: this route plugs neatly into a wider inland run without forcing you back to the coast.