Kempsey to Coffs Harbour road trip: Distance, driving time & stops

The Kempsey to Coffs Harbour drive covers a 106km distance in a driving time of around 1h10m. Road trip stops to add to the itinerary include South West Rocks, Nambucca Heads and Bongil Bongil National Park.

The Kempsey to Coffs Harbour drive is a key leg of a drive up the north coast of New South Wales. You’re likely to tackle it as part of a longer road trip itinerary – say from Sydney to the Gold Coast or Newcastle to Byron Bay.

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Kempsey to Coffs Harbour distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Kempsey to Coffs Harbour is 106km. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 10 minutes. There are a fair few road trip stops you can make along the way, however.

Most of the drive is along the Pacific Highway, which runs inland of the coast. There are several coastal detours you can happily make along the way, including Hat Head National Park, the Trial Bay Gaol at Arakoon and Horseshoe Bay Beach at South West Rocks.

Kempsey to Coffs Harbour drive: South West Rocks and Macksville

South West Rocks is the best place to stay on the coast in these parts. South West Rocks accommodation choices include the centre-of-the-action Seabreeze Hotel, the well-rated Ingenia Holiday Park and the convenient Rockpool Motel.

Not quite on the coast is Yarriabini National Park, where the Yarriabini Lookout is worth a short detour off the Pacific Highway. You can drive up to it, and it offers stunning views out over the Macleay River Valley and the coast.

The Kempsey to Coffs Harbour route then skirts just east of Macksville, an engaging town on the Nambucca River.

Things to do in Macksville include birdwatching at the Valley of the Mist wetland and getting a dose of colonial heritage at the Mary Boulton Pioneer Cottage. The Mandarin Motel is the best bet for overnight accommodation in Macksville.

Click through for the next section: Nambucca Heads.