Ballina to Gold Coast road trip: Distance, time & stops
Ballina to Gold Coast road trip: Byron Bay to Tweed Heads
From Byron Bay to Tweed Heads, it’s 66km and around 45 minutes. First, you’ll head past Belongil Beach and the Tyagarah Nature Reserve at first.
There are several superb beaches just off the Pacific Highway, with Brunswick Heads claiming the single most impressive one. From Brunswick Heads, you can also kayak or cruise along the Brunswick River and take a snorkelling tour to Julian Rocks.
Here’s why you should stay in Brunswick Heads – four fantastic experiences
- Take a snorkelling tour to the protected subtropical paradise – at the marine life-packed Julian Rocks.
- Take an eco-cruise through the rainforest – in the day time or on a sunset cruise.
- Watch migrating humpback whales between June and October – on a whale-watching cruise with a marine biologist guide.
- Take a nature kayaking tour along the river – choose from sunrise, daytime and sunset tours.
Brunswick Heads accommodation options include the stylish Brunswick and the pool-centred Sails Motel.
Further along, Mooball National Park is to the west of the highway, while Pottsville, Hastings Point and Cabarita Beach are the most attractive coastal spots.
Stay near the highway, and Tropical Fruit World in Duranbah offers hundreds of unusual fruits, plus a farm tour that includes a boat cruise. You can also try rum-tasting at the Husk Distillery in Tumbulgum.
The highway lurches back towards the coast at Kingscliff, where Watersports Guru offer kayak hire.
Top Kingscliff accommodation options
The best places to stay in Kingscliff are:
- For a Balinese-style resort: Oaks Santai Casuarina Resort.
- For a kid-friendly holiday park: Ingenia Holidays Kingscliff.
- For suites with a lagoon pool: Mantra on Salt Beach.
- For good value by the beach: The Blue Water.
Things to do in Tweed Heads, the northernmost town on the New South Wales Coast include crab-catching experiences and Tweed River cruises.
Tweed Heads accommodation picks include the highly-rated Tweed Heads Vegas Motel and Arabella Motor Inn.
Next section: Over the Queensland border.