Maitland to Sydney road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

The Maitland to Sydney drive covers a 167km distance in a driving time of around 1h58m. The best stops to add to a road trip itinerary are Newcastle, Gosford and the Broken Bay Pearl Farm.

Planning a Maitland to Sydney road trip itinerary

The drive from Maitland to Sydney takes you from one of the main cities in the Hunter region of New South Wales to Australia’s most famous city.

Maitland’s top tourist attraction is the Maitland Gaol. For Maitland 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.

To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.

13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

(💲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.

This guide should help you plan your ideal Maitland to Sydney road trip. Click through on the links for more detailed information about individual towns and attractions.

If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And get all your pre-road trip shopping done.

Maitland to Sydney distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Maitland to Sydney is 167km. That makes for a driving time of around one hour and 58 minutes.

The quickest route from Maitland to Sydney leaves Maitland to the south along Cessnock Road. It passes through Gillieston Heights towards Heddon Greta.

The Heddon Greta Drive In might interest those who like their movies the old-fashioned way.

Maitland to Sydney drive: Heddon Greta to Newcastle

Here, you join the Hunter Expressway (aka the M15). There’s not much to see near the motorway, although the Heddon Greta Drive In might interest those who like their movies the old-fashioned way.

On the outskirts of Newcastle, you may wish to branch off to the Mt Sugarloaf Lookout or Treetops Adventure Newcastle in the Blue Gum Hills.

9 cool Newcastle experiences you need to book in advance

An Adventure boat cruise along the Hunter coast – with thrills and scenery.
A mobile phone-based scavenger hunt – explore the city differently.
An architecture and street art walking tour – see all the best murals.
A whale-watching tour – get close to the migrating humpback whales.
A two hour city highlights tour by bus – get orientated when you first arrive.
A scenic helicopter flight – see the spectacular coastline from above.
A three hour craft beer and food-matching tour – get a taste of the drinking and dining scene.
A food, drink and history walking tour – hear stories and indulge at the same time.

If going into the city, good things to do in Newcastle include admiring wildlife at Blackbutt Reserve, whale-watching tours, swimming at Merewether Baths and enjoying the city’s museums.

Newcastle also has coastal boat tours, street art walks and evening true crime tours.

Newcastle Memorial Walk in Newcastle, NSW. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Newcastle accommodation favourites include the lavish Crystalbrook Kingsley, the peppy QT Newcastle and the heritage-drenched Grand Hotel.

Maitland to Sydney road trip: Newcastle to Gosford

If not going into Newcastle, join the Pacific Motorway and head south.

The motorway passes the Lake Macquarie Memorial Park and, more of interest, Watagans National Park. However, the nearby southern section is more of interest to mountain bikers than walkers and drivers.

Going west of Lake Macquarie, the Port Macquarie to Canberra drive then goes past Cooranbong, Morriset and Wyee before entering the Central Coast region.

Now, there are lots of interesting spots on the Central Coast. But the likes of Toukley, Terrigal and Forresters Beach require a significant diversion east of the motorway. If you want to explore the actual coast, Australia Travel Questions has a Central Coast guide.

The Motorway, however, runs west of Wyong and Tuggerah. Stops worth considering include the Amazement Farm and Fun Park plus Treetops Adventure Central Coast near Alison and the Ourimbah Creek Weir and Fish Ladder.

Further south Strickland Falls in the Strickland State Forest is handily near the motorway, while Somersby Falls isn’t too much of a diversion west.

Just west of Gosford, you’ll find the Australian Reptile Park and the Girrakool Loop Track in Brisbane Water National Park.

3 experiences to book in Gosford

Australian Reptile Park day pass – learn (safely) about Australia’s snakes and spiders.
Try your hand at flying with a jetpack – or try flyboarding instead.
Soap-making experience – make your own smellies.

Maitland to Sydney drive: Crossing the Hawkesbury

You then cross into Sydney over the Hawkesbury River Bridge. Nearby, a visit to the Broken Bay Pearl Farm in Mooney Mooney, the Riverboat Postman Cruise and the Dangar Island Ferry are all worth considering.

The Pacific Motorway heads south into Sydney between the Berowra Valley National Park to the west and Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park to the east. The delightful Bobbin Head section of the latter, plus the Kalkari Discovery Centre, don’t take much of a diversion.

Architecture enthusiasts will want to include Wahroonga’s striking Rose Siedler House in the itinerary before heading towards Sydney city centre.

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Skip the queues – and get the best prices – with mobile-friendly advance tickets for these top Sydney attractions.

Taronga Zoo – the zoo with harbour views (and plenty of cute Aussie animals)
Sydney Opera House – official walking tour. See behind the scenes!
Wild Life Sydney – Aussie animal favourites in convenient Darling Harbour location. Perfect if on limited time.
Sydney Cricket Ground – behind the scenes secrets tour.
Sydney Tower Eye – 360 degree views from 250 metres above the city.

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Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities on earth, and there is loads to do. The following suggestions for things to do in Sydney are just a fraction of the total offering.