Newcastle to Brisbane road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops
Best stops between Newcastle and Brisbane: Byron Bay
The next leg of the Newcastle to Brisbane road trip is the short drive from Ballina to Byron Bay.
Just north of Tintenbar, there’s waterfall action at Killen Falls and a kid-pleasing wildlife park at the Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
Alternatively, the coast offers a series of top surf spots along the coast. Lennox Head, Whites Beach, Kings Beach, the Broken Head Reserve and Arakwal National Park are all massively underrated compared to Byron.
The Pacific Motorway, however, goes past attractive Newrybar and food-centric Bangalow.
If planning to stay in Byron Bay, come off the motorway Ewingsdale. This is home to The Farm Byron Bay, where Byron Bay hot air ballooning tours depart from.
8 amazing Byron Bay experiences worth booking today
- Experience the region’s glorious natural landscapes from above – on a hot air balloon ride.
- Go kayaking with dolphins – and get much closer to them than on a boat tour 🐬.
- Learn to surf – on a half day surf lesson 🏄♀️.
- Discover the local secrets – let a guide show you the hidden beaches and waterfalls 🏖️.
- Go on a three habitat wildlife safari – spotting koalas, kangaroos and flying foxes 🐨🦘.
- See glowworms light up the World Heritage-listed rainforest.
- Explore the Byron Bay hinterland – including the rainforest walk to Minyon Falls.
- Taste craft beers and spirits – on a tour of Byron’s breweries and distilleries 🍻.
- Also try… Skydives | Sea-kayaking | Whale-watching.
Good Byron Bay activities include brewery tours, art and wine classes and turtle snorkelling tours.
For Byron Bay accommodation, take a look at the beachside Cavvanbah, the Bayview Beachfront Apartments and the Ingenia Byron Bay holiday park.
Next section: Byron Bay to Tweed Heads.