Newcastle to Mackay road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Newcastle to Mackay road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The Newcastle to Mackay drive covers a distance of 1,618km in a driving time of around 18h23m. Top road trip stops to add to the itinerary include Moree, Miles and Rockhampton.

Planning a Newcastle to Mackay road trip

If you take the quickest inland route, a road trip from Newcastle to Mackay takes you through some lesser explored areas of country Australia. But there’s a surprising amount to see and do along the way to the Whitsunday Coast.

Newcastle offers plenty of activities, including adventure boat cruises along the coastline, architecture and street art walking tours and whale watching cruises. For a big menu of Newcastle tours and experiences, explore here. To fix up one of Newcastle’s best accommodation options, book here.

Mackay offers snorkelling cruises to the likes of Brampton Island. To choose from the best Mackay tours and experiences, head this way. To select the right Mackay accommodation for you, book here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Newcastle to Mackay 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.

Newcastle to Mackay distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Newcastle to Mackay is 1,618km, and the drive takes around 18 hours and 23 minutes.

Good things to do in Newcastle include enjoying wildlife at Blackbutt Reservewhale-watching tours, swimming at Merewether Baths and browsing the city’s museums.

9 cool Newcastle experiences you need to book in advance

You can also try boat tours along the Hunter coast, street art walks and after dark true crime tours.

Newcastle accommodation highlights include the luxurious Crystalbrook Kingsley, the buzzy QT Newcastle and the heritage-stuffed Grand Hotel.

Surfer at Bar Beach, Newcastle.
Surfer at Bar Beach, Newcastle. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Newcastle to Mackay drive: Newcastle to Muswellbrook

From Newcastle, you need to head north-east along the Hunter Expressway towards Branxton. This is one of the gateways to the Hunter Valley wine region, although the most easily visited are around Allandale on the way.

At Branxton, join the New England Highway and head past Belford National Park. Daredevils may be interested in Skydive Hunter Valley at Whittingham, but the next sizable towns are the thoroughly underwhelming Singleton and Muswellbrook.

Newcastle to Mackay road trip: Muswellbrook to Scone

After Muswellbrook, the first town is Aberdeen, where you can hang out by the Hunter River in Jefferson Park.

There’s a potential detour to picnics, fishing and watersports-friendly Lake Glenbawn. Otherwise, Scone is the next town. The 4km Figtree Creek Track through Scone Mountain National Park is the highlight here.

Newcastle to Mackay road trip: Wingen to the Kamilaroi Highway

Near Wingen, Towarri National Park offers a fabulous swimming spot – the Washpools Waterhole by the Washpools Picnic Area.

Then, between Wingen and Murualla, 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.

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.

At Willow Tree, branch off the New England Highway, and join the Kamilaroi Highway.

Click through to the next section: Quirindi to Gunnedah.