Gunnedah to Sydney road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
The Gunnedah to Sydney drive covers a 429km distance in a driving time of around 4h59m. Quirindi, Scone, the Hunter Valley wine region and Newcastle are the best road trip stops along the way.
Planning a Gunnedah to Sydney road trip itinerary
The drive from Gunnedah to Sydney takes you from north-western New South Wales to Australia’s most famous city.
For Gunnedah accommodation, search here.
Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruises, behind-the-scenes tours of the Opera House and whale-watching cruises. Also worth looking at are helicopter flights over the harbour and coastline, jet boat thrill rides and historic walking tours.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.
This guide should help you plan your ideal Gunnedah to Sydney road trip.
Gunnedah to Sydney distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Gunnedah to Sydney is 429km. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and 59 minutes.
In Gunnedah, you can take on the short walks to the Porcupine Lookout and Avards Lookout.
The Gunnedah Rural Museum does the local history thing, and there’s silo art to admire.
Gunnedah accommodation options include the very well-reviewed Gunnedah Lodge Motel and the pool-equipped Gunnedah Motor Inn.
Gunnedah to Sydney road trip: Gunnedah to Murrurundi
The next town along is Quirindi, where attractions include Bob’s Shed – best described as an overgrown collection of curiosities – and the well-meaning Quirindi Rural Heritage Village Museum.
The single most impressive sight, however, is the giant murals painted over the Graincorp silos in the town centre.
Top accommodation choices in Quirindi include the plusher than you might expect Best Western Quirindi RSL Motel and the Quirindi Sunflower Motor Inn.
Further along at Willow Tree, branch off the Kamilaroi Highway and join the New England Highway.
Keep going and you’ll reach Murrurundi, a decent lunch stop with a few cafés, art galleries and hotels. You can dose up on local history at the Murrurundi Museum.
Road trip essentials that many travellers forget
Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.
- Charging cables – yes, you’ll probably need a spare at some point.
- Car charger adaptor – in case your rental car has the old-fashioned cigarette lighter rather than a USB.
- Multi USB charger – for those hotel rooms that don’t have enough power sockets.
- Fold-up chairs – to make anywhere a picnic spot.
- A really good water bottle – go for a bigger one than usual to last the longer drives.
- Packing cubes – save space but, more importantly, avoid unpacking everything every night.
Gunnedah to Sydney drive: Murrundi to Scone
Then, between Murualla and Wingen, Mount Wingen is a smouldering coal seam where rocks change colour. The 4km walk trough the Burning Mountain Nature Reserve showcases the vents breaking through the earth’s surface.
Near Wingen, Towarri National Park offers a fabulous swimming spot – the Washpools Waterhole by the Washpools Picnic Area.
The 4km Figtree Creek Track through Scone Mountain National Park is the highlight in Scone. You can also take a detour to picnics, fishing and watersports-friendly Lake Glenbawn.
The best places to stay in Scone
The top Scone accommodation options are:
- For a cheap, but surprisingly good quality motel: Isis Motel.
- For a bed and breakfast with an indoor pool: Strathearn Park Lodge.
- For town centre location: Portman House.
Click through to the next section: Scone to Singleton.