Albury to Coffs Harbour road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Driving from Albury to Coffs Harbour: Kempsey to Nambucca Heads

Stay with the Pacific Highway instead, and Billabong Zoo and Cassegrain Wines are the main attractions before reaching Kempsey.

Kempsey pays tribute to the nation’s most adored country musician at the Slim Dusty Centre.

Kempsey accommodation picks include the riverside Park Drive Motel and the pool-equipped Motel Kempsey.

It’s another 106km from Kempsey to Coffs Harbour. You might want to make a short detour to the Yarriabini Lookout for wonderful Macleay River Valley views.

The next town up is Macksville, which offers birdwatching at the Valley of the Mist wetland and local history at the Mary Boulton Pioneer Cottage.

The Mandarin Motel is your best bet for overnight accommodation in Macksville, but you may as well keep going to coastal Nambucca Heads.

Nambucca River in Macksville, NSW — The Nambucca River flows through Macksville, NSW. Photo by Seen Australia.

Things to do in Nambucca Heads include land-based whale-watching from the Captain Cook Lookout and gentle kayaking through Gaagal Wanggaan National Park.

Find the best Nambucca Heads accommodation

If spending a night or two in Nambucca Heads, here are the best options:

For an excellent kid-friendly holiday park: Ingenia Holidays White Albatross.
For a high standard motel with a pool: The Beach Rooms.
For charm and character: Riverview Boutique Motel.

Nambucca Heads to Emerald Beach

From Nambucca Heads to Coffs Harbour, there are a couple of solid photo stops. Try the Oyster Creek Lookout just north of Valla Beach and the Perry’s Hill Lookout by the Bellinger River.

The highway then runs through Bongil Bongil National Park. The walking tracks around the Bongil Picnic Area and Sid Burke Picnic Area are good places for spotting koalas.

On the way into Coffs Harbour, Sawtell Beach and Boambee Beach are on the coast, while the Coffs Harbour Butterfly House is next to the highway.

6 fab Coffs Harbour experiences to book in advance

Glide through nature – on a Boambee Creek kayaking tour guided by a marine scientist.
Jump out of a plane – with tandem skydives that land on the beach.
Go kayaking and wildlife-spotting – on a coastal adventure.
Head into the hinterland – on a rainforest and waterfalls day tour.
Test your nerve and agility – at the Treetops Coffs Harbour adventure course.
See migrating humpbacks up close – on a whale-watching cruise.

Good things to do in Coffs Harbour include Jetty Beach, rainforest tours, whale-watching cruises and skydives.

For Coffs Harbour accommodation, consider the quirky Big Windmill Motel, the nature-flanked Sanctuary Resort, the helpfully central Best Western Zebra Motel and the well-equipped Beachpark Apartments.