Coffs Harbour to Gold Coast road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
A Coffs Harbour to Gold Coast road trip can include fun-packed stops in Yamba, Ballina and Byron Bay. The distance from Coffs Harbour to the Gold Coast is 312km, with a driving time of around 3h21m.
A road trip from Coffs Harbour to the Gold Coast takes you from the biggest city in New South Wales north of Newcastle to Queensland’s famous holiday strip. It’s a drive that can be done in one day, but there’s plenty to see on the way, so the smart move is to turn it into a multi-day road trip.
Coffs Harbour to Gold Coast distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Coffs Harbour to the Gold Coast is 312km. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 21 minutes. This is assuming Surfers Paradise is the destination – other areas of the Gold Coast have slightly different journey times.
This drive largely follows the Pacific Highway and starts out along the Coffs 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.
Leaving Coffs Harbour, you’ll go near the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden plus the gimmick attractions – the Clog Barn and the Big Banana have the quirky gimmick factor.
You can also build in short detours towards Diggers Beach and the Solitary Islands Aquarium at Charlesworth Bay Beach.
The Forest Sky Pier and Treetops Adventure in Korora require a slight turn inland.
Coffs Harbour to Gold Coast road trip: Coffs Coast beaches
The Coffs Coast offers several excellent beaches, including Sapphire Beach and Moonee Beach. There’s also plenty of wildlife to see in the Moonee Beach Nature Reserve is marvellous. But the classic animal encounter spot is the Look At Me Now Headland, just south of Emerald Beach. Kangaroos hang out here, while you can sometimes spot dolphins and whales in the ocean.
Beach towns Woolgoolga and Arrawarra line up before the Pacific Highway turns inland. Just north of Arrawarra, the Yarrawarra Aboriginal Cultural Centre looks at local Indigenous heritage.
Next section: Maclean and Yamba.