Coffs Harbour to Ballina road trip: Drive distance & best stops
The Coffs Harbour to Ballina drive covers a 205km distance, with a driving time of around 2h9m. Good stops to add to a road trip itinerary include Emerald Beach, Yamba and Evans Head.
The Coffs Harbour to Ballina drive connects the largest city on the New South Wales North Coast to one of the main hub towns in the Northern Rivers region. Most visitors are likely to tackle it as part of a longer road trip – say from Sydney to the Gold Coast or Newcastle to Byron Bay.
Book in advance for the best Ballina accommodation deals.
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.
Coffs Harbour to Ballina distance and driving time
By car, the Coffs Harbour to Ballina drive covers a 205km distance. You can expect a driving time of around two hours and nine minutes. But there are plenty of road trip stops worth considering along the way.
The first stretch of the Coffs Harbour to Ballina road trip follows the Coffs Coast, passing the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden, the Clog Barn and the Big Banana. Diggers Beach and the Solitary Islands Aquarium at Charlesworth Bay Beach are a short way off the highway towards the coast.
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.
A little turn inland, meanwhile, brings you to the Forest Sky Pier and Treetops Adventure in Korora.
Click through to the next section: Coffs Coast beaches.