Ballina to Brisbane road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The Ballina to Brisbane drive is 186km in distance, with a driving time of around two hours. Top road trip stops include Byron Bay, Brunswick Heads and the Gold Coast.
The drive from Ballina to the Brisbane takes from one of the New South Wales Northern Rivers hub towns to the capital of Queensland. It’s a reasonably short drive by Australian standards, but if it’s the last leg of a Sydney to Brisbane road trip, there are plenty of places to consider stopping at along the way.
Ballina to Brisbane distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Ballina to Brisbane drive is 186km. That makes for a driving time of around two hours. Good road trip stops between Ballina and Brisbane include Byron Bay, Tweed Heads and the Gold Coast.
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.
Where to stay in Ballina
The top Ballina accommodation options are:
- For charm and personality: Ballina Manor Boutique Hotel.
- For a holiday park with family-sized cabins and lots kid-friendly facilities: Discovery Parks Ballina.
- For a relatively cheap, good quality motel: Almare Tourist Motel.
- For riverside location: Ramada Hotel and Suites.
The first section of the Ballina to Brisbane drive is from Ballina to Byron Bay. On this section of the drive, you can marvel at Killen Falls just north of Tintenbar and enjoy the family-friendly wildlife park at Macadamia Castle.
Alternatively, there are fabulous surf spots along the coast. Lennox Head, Whites Beach, Kings Beach, the Broken Head Reserve and Arakwal National Park are all gorgeous. And, compared to Byron itself, massively underrated.
Click through for the next section: A stop in Byron Bay?