Coonabarabran to Dubbo drive: Distance, time and road trip attractions

The Coonabarabran to Dubbo drive is 144km in distance, with a driving time of around 1h41m. The best road trip attractions to add to the itinerary are the Mendooran murals.

The Coonabarabran to Dubbo drive is a significant leg on the drive through inland New South Wales. You’ll pass through on the Brisbane to Dubbo drive.

Coonabarabran offers tours of Australia’s largest telescope.

Dubbo offers ghost tours, an observatory and a safari-style zoo. To find good quality Dubbo accommodation that suits your tastes, explore the options here.

Although both Coonabarabran and Dubbo are on the Newell Highway, the quickest route between the two veers off the main road fairly quickly.

Coonabarabran to Dubbo distance and driving time

Via the Mendooran Road, the distance from Coonabarabran to Dubbo by car is 144km. Expect a driving time of around one hour and 41 minutes.

Best Coonabarabran accommodation recommendations

The best places to stay in Coonabarabran are:

For overall quality: Acacia Motor Lodge.
For charm and homeliness: Langley Cottage B&B.
For a cheap, decent motel: Matthew Flinders Motor Inn.

This, alas, is one of those road trip legs where you’re better off skipping straight through. If you’re driving from Moree to Dubbo – or Goondiwindi to Dubbo – in one day, there’s more to keep you occupied earlier in the journey. Treat the Coonabarabran to Dubbo leg as something that just needs to be done.

Coonabarabran to Dubbo drive: Mendooran murals and Royal Hotel

The road trip stop on the route is Mendooran, a dairy town on the Castlereagh River. Unless you’re going for a drink in the Royal Hotel, the main attraction in Mendooran is the series of murals painted on buildings around the town.

The Mendooran murals are the handiwork of Karen Duce, and they depict rural life. The scene with the bullocks on the side of the Royal Hotel is arguably the most impressive.

After crossing the Castlereagh Highway in Mendooran, the Coonabarabran to Dubbo drive passes mainly through the Goonoo State Conservation Area. This may conjure up images of delightful forest walks, but alas this green space isn’t really set up for tourists.

The drive rejoins the Newell Highway in Brocklehurst, then continues alongside the Macquarie River into Dubbo, home of the Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Book mobile-friendly tickets for the latter online.