Albury to Brisbane road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
Albury to Brisbane self-drive itinerary: Port Stephens detour
After Newcastle, you may wish to steer off towards all-action Port Stephens. If so, drive towards Williamtown, which brings fighter jets at Fighter World and a quad biking tour across the Worimi Sand Dunes.
Further towards Nelson Bay are several wildlife attractions – Oakvale Wildlife Park, the Shark, Ray and All Creatures Rescue Centre and Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters.
6 fantastic Port Stephens experiences worth going for.
- 4WD dunes tour with sandboarding – whizz down the Sahara-style dunes
- Dolphin-watching cruise with fun boom nets 🐬.
- Quad-biking over the Worimi sand dunes – learning about local Aboriginal culture along the way.
- Snorkelling with wild dolphins – the ultimate dolphin experience
- Port Stephens koala sanctuary admission tickets 🐨.
- Shallow water shark and ray encounter 🦈.
Near Anna Bay, try riding camels on Birubi Beach, clothing-optional bathing at Samurai Beach and koala-watching at the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary.
Things to do in Nelson Bay include dolphin-watching cruises, snorkelling with dolphins and taking on the Tomaree Head Summit Walk.
For Nelson Bay accommodation, take a look at the golf course-centric Landmark Resort, the wallet-friendly Peninsula Motel and Serviced Apartments or the apartment-style Mantra Nelson Bay.
Newcastle to Forster-Tuncurry
If ignoring Newcastle and Port Stephens, stick to the Pacific Highway as it goes past the Hunter Wetlands National Park and Hunter Region Botanic Gardens.
The Newcastle to Taree leg of the Albury to Brisbane road trip heads through Raymond Terrace, Wallaroo National Park and Karuah National Park.
You may wish to dip towards the coast, however. Jimmys Beach or Bennetts Beach in Hawks Nest are gorgeous. Then you can aim towards Seal Rocks and Myall Lake.
The Pacific Palms area is just to the north, with Blueys Beach, Boomerang Beach and Elizabeth Beach the highlights.
The coastal route then runs east of Wallis Lake, passing through Booti Booti National Park towards Forster and Tuncurry.
Here, choose One Mile Beach or nine mile-long Tuncurry Beach for surfing, or Burgess Beach for the photogenic fairy pools.
There are many impressive accommodation options in Forster. Pick the Hotel Forster for a big pool, the Forster Motor Inn for convenient location and the Dorsal Boutique Hotel for charm.
Click through to the next section: Inland route from Newcastle to Port Macquarie.