Canberra to Ballina road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
Canberra to Ballina drive: Morriset to Newcastle
The Canberra to Ballina drive continues between Morriset and Cooranbong, veering west of Lake Macquarie and near the southern end of Watagans National Park.
The motorway goes around the second largest city in New South Wales – Newcastle. But you might wish to make an overnight stop here.
9 cool Newcastle experiences you need to book in advance
- An Adventure boat cruise along the Hunter coast – with thrills and scenery.
- A mobile phone-based scavenger hunt – explore the city differently.
- An architecture and street art walking tour – see all the best murals.
- A whale-watching tour – get close to the migrating humpback whales.
- A two hour city highlights tour by bus – get orientated when you first arrive.
- A scenic helicopter flight – see the spectacular coastline from above.
- A three hour craft beer and food-matching tour – get a taste of the drinking and dining scene.
- A food, drink and history walking tour – hear stories and indulge at the same time.
If so, pay a visit to the magnificent ocean baths, such as Merewether Baths.
Other things to do in Newcastle include watching wildlife at Blackbutt Reserve, whale-watching tours and visiting several good quality museums.
Newcastle also offers coastal boat tours, street art walks and evening true crime tours.
Newcastle accommodation winners include the lavish Crystalbrook Kingsley, the peppy QT Newcastle and the heritage-drenched Grand Hotel.
Canberra to Ballina self-drive itinerary: Detour to Port Stephens?
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.
Click through to the next section: Newcastle to Port Macquarie.