Sydney to Brisbane road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops
Sydney to Brisbane drive: A stay in Yamba?
The highway veers past Grafton and Lawrence before reaching weirdly Scottish Maclean. The Bicentennial Museum explains that Scottish heritage, while the Ferry Park Gallery showcases local artists.
The Waterview Motel and Club Maclean are decent choices for an overnight stay, but it’s a far better idea to turn east for delightful beach town Yamba.
Yamba beaches worth investigating include Turners Beach, Yamba Main Beach, Pippi Beach and Green Point Beach.
Yamba accommodation picks include the Calypso Yamba caravan park, the well-priced Aston Motel, the riverside Moby Dick and the gardens-surrounded Blue Dolphin Holiday Resort.
Bundjalung National Park and Ballina
After the Coffs Harbour to Yamba section of the road trip, Bundjalung National Park is worth a look. For a photo stop, try the Iluka Bluff Lookout. For something more involving, opt for the 6km Jerusalem Creek Peninsula track from the Black Rocks campground.
At Woodburn, there’s a possible branch-off to Evans Head and Broadwater National Park.
Here, Evans Head Heritage Aviation Museum tells the tale of the town’s huge WWII pilot training base. But the real highlight is the stunning 30km beach that stretches to the north.
The Pacific Highway, however, runs just west of Ballina. This is one of the major towns in the Northern Rivers region. Ballina activities include private surfing lessons and half day coastal walking tours.
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.
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.
Click through to the next section: A stay in Byron Bay.