Caloundra to Melbourne is the long one: 1,838 km by the coast, about eighteen and a half hours of driving before a single stop. Plan on three days and two nights on the road, and on choosing your way south before you set off.
How does one-way truck hire from Caloundra to Melbourne work?
You collect a car-licence truck or van at Sparkles Car Wash, Caloundra Shopping Centre, 47 Bowman Road, and return it at our depot at 11 Jutland Way, Epping, in Melbourne's northern suburbs. One flat, GST-inclusive package covers the hire days, the kilometres and damage cover with a $6,500 excess, so you never pay for a trip back.
Coast or inland?
Google Maps' quickest route goes by the coast: the M1 and the Pacific Highway down to Sydney, the toll motorways around the city (NorthConnex, the M2 and the M7), then the Hume all the way to Melbourne. That's 1,838 km and about 18½ hours non-stop.
The inland route is 100 km shorter and close to an hour slower: the Warrego Highway to Toowoomba, the Gore Highway to Goondiwindi, then the Newell Highway through Moree, Dubbo and West Wyalong, across the Murray into Victoria and down to the Hume. That's 1,738 km, about 19 hours.
Which to choose? The coast is quicker and has bigger towns to stop in, but it takes you through Sydney. The inland way avoids Sydney altogether. It's also long and quiet between towns, so fill the tank before each long stretch.
Where should you stop?
Measured from the pickup, two overnight stops split either route into three days of roughly six to seven hours' driving:
- By the coast: Port Macquarie (631 km) and Goulburn (1,188 km).
- Inland: Moree (583 km) and West Wyalong (1,203 km).
Book both beds before you leave, and check the motel has room to park a truck.
Timing the drop-off
Epping takes drop-offs by appointment, Monday to Saturday, until 4:45 PM. From the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April, Melbourne is an hour ahead of Caloundra, and your drop-off is booked in Melbourne time. Book it for the morning after you arrive, not the afternoon you hope to arrive.
What does the package include?
Each route is one flat price, GST included, covering a set number of hire days and kilometres plus damage cover with a $6,500 excess. Days are counted in 24-hour periods from your pickup time: bring the truck back by the same time on your last day, or the extra hours count as another day, which the booking adds for you. If your hire ends on a day we're closed, it runs on to the next open day at no charge.
Which day should you pick up?
Both ends work by appointment, Monday to Saturday, and both are closed on Sundays. Public holidays are local. A Queensland one, such as Labour Day on the first Monday in May, affects your pickup, and a Victorian one, like Melbourne Cup Day or the Friday before the AFL Grand Final, affects your drop-off in Epping. The booking calendar checks both locations, so it only offers days that work at each end.
Truck or van for Caloundra to Melbourne?
A van suits a studio or a one-bedroom flat. Anything bigger needs the truck. Both drive on a standard car licence, and the moving trucks seat up to three. On a drive this long, a second driver helps: add them as an authorised additional driver when you book. Here's how to choose the vehicle.
Moving from Melbourne to the Sunshine Coast instead?
The route runs both ways. Pick up at Epping and drop off at Bowman Road: see Melbourne to Caloundra one-way hire, and moving to Caloundra for the Sunshine Coast end.
Before you go
- Measure the fridge and the couch before you choose between a truck and a van.
- Pick the coast or the inland route, and book both overnight stops.
- Bring your licence and the payment card in the main driver's name. We check the physical card.
- If someone else will drive, add them as an authorised additional driver when you book.
- Keep the Epping drop-off details on your phone. They're on your Wallet pass too.
Everything about this route is on the Caloundra to Melbourne one-way hire page, and the Caloundra hub covers the other routes from Bowman Road. Questions? Call 03 8560 7038.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Caloundra from Melbourne by road?
1,838 km by the coast through Sydney, about 18½ hours of non-stop driving, or 1,738 km inland on the Newell Highway, about 19 hours (Google Maps, without traffic).
Where do I drop the truck off in Melbourne?
At our depot at 11 Jutland Way, Epping VIC 3076, in Melbourne's northern suburbs, at your drop-off appointment.
How many days does Caloundra to Melbourne take?
Plan on three days of driving with two overnight stops, such as Port Macquarie and Goulburn on the coast, or Moree and West Wyalong inland.
Do I pay for days you're closed?
No. If your hire ends on a day we're closed, it runs on to the next open day at no extra charge, and closed days never count as extra days.
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