Parkes to Coonabarabran road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The Parkes to Coonabarabran drive covers a distance of 263km in a driving time of around 3h1m. Top road trip stops to add to the itinerary include Dubbo and Mendooran.

Planning a Parkes to Coonabarabran road trip itinerary

A road trip from Parkes to Coonabarabran can be an enjoyable romp up the Newell Highway into Queensland. For many, this will be part of a longer road trip – the quickest route from Melbourne to Hervey Bay passes this way, for example.

To get the best deals on Parkes accommodation, step this way.

To book a Siding Spring observatory tour near Coonabarabran, head here. For Coonabarabran accommodation, look here.

This guide should help you plan the perfect Parkes to Coonabarabran 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.

Parkes to Coonabarabran distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Parkes to Coonabarabran is 263km. This makes for a driving time of around three hours and one minute. Obviously, you may want to make a few road trip stops along the way.

Parkes hosts the Henry Parkes Centre, which houses Elvis museum King’s Castle.

Top of the list of things to do in Parkes, however, is paying a visit to the Dish. Also known as Murriyang, this powerful radio telescope at the CSIRO Parkes Observatory transmitted the images of the 1969 moon landing to the world.

Top-rated Parkes accommodation options include the Station Motel, the Astro Dish Motor Inn and the Bushman’s Motor Inn.

Parkes to Coonabarabran drive: Parkes to Dubbo

The next leg of the journey is the 120km drive from Parkes to Dubbo, although you can stop at Goobang National Park, which has a couple of fabulous lookouts. The Caloma Lookout is easiest to reach – it’s just a 50m walk from the car park and has great views over the plains.

The 4km return Burrabadine Peak walk from the wildlife-packed Greenbah campground is steeper, but rewarding.

Dubbo has a surprisingly strong hand when it comes to attractions. Top of the list are the Dubbo Observatory and Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Book tickets for the latter online to skip the queue.

Other things to do in Dubbo include spooky ghost tours at the Old Dubbo Gaol.

Attractions between Parkes and Coonabarabran: Dubbo to Coonabarabran

From Dubbo to Coonabarabran, the quickest route passes through the Goonoo State Conservation Area and along Mendooran Road.

It’s worth a brief stop in dairy town Mendooran to take a look at the murals depicting rural life, which are painted on buildings across the town.

If stopping in Coonabarabran, go hiking by day in the Warrumbungle National Park, then stargazing at night at the Milroy Observatory. You can also take a tour of Australia’s largest telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory.

For the stargazing experiences, you’re probably going to want to stay overnight.