Forbes to Moree road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The Forbes to Moree drive covers a distance of 516km in a driving time of around 5h56m. Top road trip stops to add to the itinerary include Parkes, Dubbo and Coonabarabran.

Planning a Forbes to Moree road trip itinerary

A road trip from Forbes to Moree can be an enjoyable romp up the Newell Highway. For many, this will be part of a longer road trip – the quickest route from Melbourne to Hervey Bay passes this way, for example.

To find a great place to stay in Forbes, look here.

Moree, meanwhile, offers artesian baths in the north of the state. To just book Moree accommodation, head here

This guide should help you plan your perfect Forbes to Moree road trip itinerary.

Click through on the individual places and attractions for more detailed, specific information.

If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And don’t forget to do all your pre-road trip shopping.

Forbes to Moree distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Forbes to Moree is 516km. This makes for a driving time of around five hours and 56 minutes. Obviously, you may want to make a few road trip stops along the way.

Things to do in Forbes include learning about bushranger Ben Hall at the Forbes Historical Museum and strolling the Sculptures Down The Lachlan art trail. You can stay the night at the centrally-located Ben Hall Motor Inn or the well-reviewed Town and Country Motor Inn.

Forbes to Moree road trip: Forbes to Parkes

Another 33km along the Newell Highway, and you arrive in Parkes.

Parkes hosts the Henry Parkes Centre, which houses Elvis museum King’s Castle.

Top of the list of things to do in Parkes, however, is paying a visit to the Dish. Also known as Murriyang, this powerful radio telescope at the CSIRO Parkes Observatory transmitted the images of the 1969 moon landing to the world.

The best accommodation in Parkes

The top places to stay in Parkes are:

For overall quality: Bushman’s Motor Inn.
For central location: Court Street Motel.
For parkside location: Hamilton Henry Parkes Motor Inn.

"The Dish" in Parkes, New South Wales — “The Dish” in Parkes, New South Wales. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Forbes to Moree drive: Parkes to Dubbo

The next leg of the journey is the 120km drive from Parkes to Dubbo, although you can stop at Goobang National Park, which has a couple of fabulous lookouts. The Caloma Lookout is easiest to reach – it’s just a 50m walk from the car park and has great views over the plains.

The 4km return Burrabadine Peak walk from the wildlife-packed Greenbah campground is steeper, but rewarding.

Dubbo has a surprisingly strong hand when it comes to attractions. Top of the list are the Dubbo Observatory and Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Book tickets for the latter online to skip the queue.

Other things to do in Dubbo include spooky ghost tours at the Old Dubbo Gaol.

Dubbo accommodation picks

Australia specialist booking site Wotif offers Dubbo accommodation for from $80 a night. To search through the options, visit the top deals page.

However, the following well-reviewed Dubbo accommodation options are particularly worth considering.

For families: Discovery Parks Dubbo holiday park.
For business travellers and anyone who wants a bit more space: The Quest apartments.
For good value in a central location: Surestay Hotel.
For a high quality motel with indoor AND outdoor pools: Cattlemans Country Motor Inn.

Click through for the next section: Dubbo to Narrabri.

Attractions between Forbes and Moree: Dubbo to Narrabri

From Dubbo to Coonabarabran, the quickest route passes through the Goonoo State Conservation Area and along Mendooran Road.

It’s worth a brief stop in dairy town Mendooran to take a look at the murals depicting rural life, which are painted on buildings across the town.

If stopping in Coonabarabran, go hiking by day in the Warrumbungle National Park, then stargazing at night at the Milroy Observatory. You can also take a tour of Australia’s largest telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory.

For the stargazing experiences, you’re probably going to want to stay overnight.

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.

Otherwise, the drive continues past Timmallallie National Park and through the Pillaga Forests and towards

Top of the list of things to do in Narrabri is getting a taste of historic prison life at the Narrabri Old Gaol and Museum. And, just west of town, there’s the Australia Telescope Compact Array, where a rather cool-looking series of radio telescopes receive signals from space.

Narrabri accommodation possibilities include the four star Adelong Motel and the well-located Mid Town Inn.

Forbes to Moree road trip: Narrabri to Moree

It’s another 100km from Narrabri to Moree, although you may wish to detour to Mount Kaputar National Park for the views and walking trails.

Things to do in Moree include birdwatching at the Waterbird Lagoon bird hide in the Gwydir Wetlands State Conservation Area, visiting the Bank Art Museum and swimming at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre.