Port Macquarie to Gold Coast road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

Port Macquarie to Gold Coast road trip: Evans Head and Ballina

At Woodburn, you may wish to branch off to Evans Head and Broadwater National Park.

Here, Evans Head Heritage Aviation Museum is all about the town’s huge WWII pilot training base, but the 30km beach stretching to the north tends to grab the attention.

5 Ballina experiences to book in advance

Go on a dolphin watching cruise – sightings are very reliable.
Take a guided coastal walk – learning about the natural environment on the way.
Clink glasses as the sun goes down – on a Richmond River sunset cruise.
Take a cruise to the Julian Rocks Marine Reserve – with a marine biologist pointing out the dolphins, turtles and dramatic cliffs.
Learn to surf – on a private surfing lesson.

The next sizable town, however, is Ballina. Here you can try private surfing lessons and half day coastal walking tours.

Where to stay in Ballina

The top Ballina accommodation options are:

For charm and personality: Ballina Manor Boutique Hotel.
For a holiday park with family-sized cabins and lots kid-friendly facilities: Discovery Parks Ballina.
For a relatively cheap, good quality motel: Almare Tourist Motel.
For riverside location: Ramada Hotel and Suites.

Port Macquarie to Gold Coast itinerary: Overnight in Byron Bay?

The star attraction on the short drive from Ballina to Byron Bay is Killen Falls just north of Tintenbar, but the coastal route is more attractive.

Lennox Head, Whites Beach, Kings Beach, the Broken Head Reserve and Arakwal National Park bring great surf and scenery.

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.

Stick to the Pacific Motorway, though, and you’ll go past charming Newrybar and foodie hub Bangalow.

If planning to stay in Byron Bay, leave the motorway at Ewingsdale – home to The Farm Byron Bay. This is where Byron Bay hot air ballooning tours launch from.

Top Byron Bay activities include brewery tours, art and wine classes and turtle snorkelling tours.

For Byron Bay accommodation, consider the beachside Cavvanbah, the Bayview Beachfront Apartments and the Ingenia Byron Bay holiday park.