Parkes to Tamworth road trip: Distance, drive time & best stops

By car, the distance from Parkes to Tamworth is 430km, with a 4h54m driving time. The best stops between Parkes and Tamworth are Dubbo and Werris Creek.

Planning a Parkes to Tamworth road trip itinerary

A Parkes to Tamworth road trip takes you from Australia’s Elvis capital to its country music hub.

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

Tamworth is Australia’s country music capital. You can look at the Tamworth accommodation options here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Parkes to Tamworth 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 Tamworth distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Parkes to Tamworth is 430km. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and 54 minutes.

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.

The best accommodation in Parkes

The top places to stay in Parkes are:

For overall quality: Bushman’s Motor Inn.
For central location: Court Street Motel.
For parkside location: Hamilton Henry Parkes Motor Inn.

Parkes to Tamworth drive: Parkes to Dubbo

The first 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.

Dubbo accommodation picks

Australia specialist booking site Wotif offers Dubbo accommodation for from $80 a night. To search through the options, visit the top deals page.

However, the following well-reviewed Dubbo accommodation options are particularly worth considering.

For families: Discovery Parks Dubbo holiday park.
For business travellers and anyone who wants a bit more space: The Quest apartments.
For good value in a central location: Surestay Hotel.
For a high quality motel with indoor AND outdoor pools: Cattlemans Country Motor Inn.

Parkes to Tamworth road trip: Parkes to Coolah

Leaving Dubbo along the Golden Highway/B84, the first realistic stop is an hour away in Dunedoo. There’s nothing to get massively excited about here, but there are a few places to eat, plus a swimming pool and golf course. The highlight for visitors is likely to be the silo art – massive murals have been painted on Dunedoo’s grain silos.

The Dubbo to Tamworth leg of the Parkes to Tamworth drive then continues towards Coolah along Black Stump Way.

From Coolah, you can potentially make a detour into Coolah Tops National Park a potential detour from here. There are several waterfalls, lookouts, walking trails and campgrounds to enjoy.

Parkes to Tamworth drive: Coolah to Tamworth

Otherwise, continue along the uneventful Black Stump Way before eventually turning right down Purlewaugh Road. This becomes Coonabarabran Road and passes the Spring Ridge Rifle Range.

Just after the Mooki River crossing in Caroona, you’ll need to branch left onto Waverley Road, cross the Kamilaroi Highway and continue east along Gap Road.

This will take you to Werris Creek, arguably the most interesting town between Parkes and Tamworth.

The Rail Journeys Museum here is devoted to all things train travel. There’s also the Australian Railway Monument, which pays tribute to 2,700 railway workers who died in the course of duty.

Werris Creek Road will take you north-east into guitar-twanging Tamworth.

Things to do in Tamworth include the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame and the Tamworth Powerstation Museum, which explores electricity and electronics. For natural beauty in the vicinity, try Chaffey Dam near Nundle.