Sydney to Cobar road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
The best stops on a Sydney to Cobar road trip include the Blue Mountains, Mudgee’s wineries and Dubbo. By car, the distance from Sydney to Cobar is 684km, with a driving time of 8h8m.
The drive from Sydney to Cobar will, for most travellers, be part of a longer New South Wales road trip. The quickest route from Sydney to Broken Hill passes through this way.
Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruises, behind-the-scenes tours of the Opera House, jet boat thrill rides and historic walking tours. To find the best Sydney accommodation deals, search here.
Cobar is a mining town, with an arty twist. To secure the best Cobar accommodation deals, head here.
This guide should help you plan your perfect Sydney to Cobar road trip itinerary.
Sydney to Cobar distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Sydney to Cobar is 684km. That makes for a driving time of around eight hours and eight minutes. Turn it into a road trip itinerary, however, and there are several good places to stop along the way.
13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book
- (💲Great value 💲) Tick off several bucket list items on a highlights-packed Blue Mountains day tour.
- Get perfect views of the world’s most beautiful city on a Sydney Harbour helicopter tour.
- Save money with a multi-attraction pass.
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the romance of a tall ship cruise on Sydney Harbour.
- Eat all you can at the Skyfeast at the top of Sydney Tower.
- See migrating humpbacks – on a whale-watching cruise.
- (Highly recommended ✅) Go behind the scenes of Australia’s most famous building on an Opera House tour.
- Dine as the city lights up on sunset dinner cruise around the harbour.
- Combine beers and stories on a historic pubs tour through the convict-era Rocks district.
- Stand on your board and catch waves during Bondi Beach surfing lessons.
- Go to wombat and kangaroo-spotting hotspots on a Southern Highlands tour.
- Enjoy Sydney’s wild side on a Manly snorkelling & nature walk.
- (🥇Top choice in Sydney) And, best of all, paddle to hidden beaches on a harbour kayaking adventure.
The quickest route from Sydney to Cobar leaves Sydney along the M4, passing Parramatta and the Prospect Reservoir.
It then crosses the Nepean River at Jamisontown. This is where the M4 becomes the Great Western Highway and starts climbing into the Blue Mountains.
Sydney to Cobar road trip: Blue Mountains
The Blue Mountains is one of Australia’s tourism honeypots. If you’ve budgeted plenty of time, this is an obvious overnight stay. More to the point, several of the key attractions in the region can be visited without making a massive detour.
In the Glenbrook section of the Blue Mountains National Park, there are great views from the Portal Lookout. You can also enjoy reliable kangaroo sightings at the Euroka Campground and wild swimming in Jellybean Pool.
7 Blue Mountains experiences you should pre-book
- Scenic World tickets – combine dramatic train rides, cable cars & forest walks.
- The Blue Mountains hop-on, hop-off bus – get around Katoomba and Leura’s top sites hassle-free.
- Guided stargazing with an astrophysicist – learn how to read the clear night skies.
- Give canyoning a try – jumping, climbing and sliding through Empress Canyon.
- Take a half day abseiling adventure – in the Blue Mountains National Park.
- Indulge in a local produce tasting experience – with beers, wines & meats.
- Get adventurous – on a 4WD tour to the world’s second largest canyon.
As the elevation increases, extra feasible stops include the Valley Heights Rail Museum in Springwood, the Norman Lindsay Gallery in Faulconbridge and the Linden Observatory in Linden.
Mabel Falls, Horseshoe Falls and Wentworth Falls are also along the road trip route.
Sydney to Cobar drive: Leura and Katoomba
Leura and Katoomba are the most likely spots for an overnight stay on the Sydney to Cobar drive, however.
The latter plays host to the Three Sisters and Scenic World.
6 top Katoomba experiences to book in advance
- Connect the key sights in Katoomba and Leura the easy way – on the hop-on, hop-off bus.
- Discover your adventurous side – while canyoning at Twister and Rocky Creek.
- Indulge in NSW-sourced wines, beers and tasting platters at Echo Point, while overlooking the Jamison Valley.
- Combine canyoning and abseiling on a full day adventure.
- Explore the Jamison Valley from all angles – with the trains and cable cars of Scenic World.
- See ancient Aboriginal rock art – and the views other people miss – on a 4WD adventure.
Katoomba accommodation options include the budget-friendly Blue Mountains Heritage Hotel, the pool-equipped Skyrider Motor Inn and the heritage-laced Carrington Hotel.
Beyond Katoomba come Medlow Bath and Blackheath, where you’ll find the Blue Mountains Heritage Centre and Govetts Leap. There’s also Mount Victoria, home of the Sunset Rock Lookout, Bushrangers Cave and the Pulpit Rock Lookout.
Click through for the next section: Lithgow and surrounds.