Armidale to Grafton road trip: Distance, time & stops

The best stops on an Armidale to Grafton road trip include Grafton, Byron Bay and Brunswick Heads. By car, the distance from Armidale to Grafton is 201km. That makes for a driving time of around 2h37m.

The Armidale to Grafton drive is one of the most scenic road trips in Australia. It passes through the Great Dividing Range, taking in some of New South Wales’ national parks, rainforests and waterfalls.

To pick out the best Armidale accommodation, head here.

Grafton has an impressive cathedral and is known for its gorgeous jacaranda trees. For Grafton accommodation picks, head here.

Use this guide to help you plan out the perfect Armidale to Grafton road trip. Click through on the links for more detailed information on the towns and attractions.

Armidale to Grafton distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Armidale to Grafton is 201km. That makes for a driving time of around two hours and 37 minutes.

Things to do in Armidale include helicopter flights over the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, visiting the Saints Mary and Joseph Catholic Cathedral and browsing the New England Regional Art Museum.

Where to stay in Armidale

For the best Armidale accommodation, book one of these:

For charm and character: Petersons Armidale Winery & Guesthouse.
For a great value motel: Alluna Motel.
For central location: Tattersalls Hotel.

Armidale to Grafton road trip: Armidale to Ebor Falls

You’ll need to peel off the New England Highway at Armidale, and head down the B78 – also known as the Waterfall Way.

Unsurprisingly, the drive from Armidale to Grafton features many, many waterfalls. First up is Bakers Creek Falls, which should be treated as an amusé bouche for what’s to come.

Shortly afterwards, in the northern section of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, it’s a short branch-off to the Wollomombi Falls Picnic Area. Here, a walking track takes you to the lookout over Wollomombi Falls. At 220 metres, this is the highest waterfall in New South Wales.

Cathedral Rock National Park comes up to the north a little further on. Here, a challenging walk will take you to a natural mountaintop throne of giant stacked boulders.

South of the highway, it’s a short detour to the moderately attractive Serpentine Falls. Waterfall lovers with limited time are better off continuing to Ebor Falls in Guy Fawkes River National Park, however.

Ebor Falls is more about width than height, with an impressive amount of water cascading down the rock face.

Armidale to Grafton road trip: Ebor to Grafton

Shortly after the village of Ebor, you need to branch off the Waterfall Way and head north along Armidale Road. This weaves around creeks and rivers, past the Mount Hyland Nature Reserve, towards Dundurrabin.

The road then weaves between Nymboi-Bunderay National Park and Chaebundi National Park. Unfortunately, the campgrounds and walking trails in both are best accessed from elsewhere.

The road then twists and turns towards Nymboida. The riverside Cartmill Park is a decent spot to stretch the legs.

If you want to visit Marengo Falls or go on a Nymboida River whitewater rafting trip with Exodus Adventures, you need to make a detour up Glens Creek Road.

Otherwise, stick to Armidale Road and you’ll come down through the eastern side of the Great Dividing Range, eventually reaching Grafton.

Grafton’s attractions are mainly handsome heritage buildings such as Schaeffer House and the Christ Church Cathedral, although it is also famed for its jacaranda trees.

Top Grafton accommodation options

The best places to stay in Grafton are:

For central location: Civic Motel.
For charm and personal touch: Andavine House Bed and Breakfast.
For a relatively cheap, good quality motel with a pool: Grafton Lodge Motel.