Port Macquarie to Ballina road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The Port Macquarie to Ballina drive covers a 372km distance in a driving time of three hours and 59 minutes. The best road trip stops to add to an itinerary include South West Rocks, Coffs Harbour and Yamba.
The drive from Port Macquarie to Ballina is generally part of a longer road trip up the New South Wales North Coast. Both Port Macquarie and Ballina make for good overnight stops on the drive from Newcastle to Byron Bay or Sydney to the Gold Coast. There are also several good road trip attractions along the route.
5 Ballina experiences to book in advance
- Go on a dolphin watching cruise – sightings are very reliable.
- Take a guided coastal walk – learning about the natural environment on the way.
- Clink glasses as the sun goes down – on a Richmond River sunset cruise.
- Take a cruise to the Julian Rocks Marine Reserve – with a marine biologist pointing out the dolphins, turtles and dramatic cliffs.
- Learn to surf – on a private surfing lesson.
Port Macquarie to Ballina distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Port Macquarie to Ballina is 372km. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 59 minutes.
You’ll leave Port Macquarie along the Oxley Highway, which soon meets the Pacific Highway by Billabong Zoo. This is where you turn north.
Click through to the next section: Port Macquarie to Kempsey.