Sydney to Coffs Harbour road trip: Distance, driving time and best stops

The Sydney to Coffs Harbour drive is 533km in distance, with a Sydney to Coffs Harbour driving time of five hours and 24 minutes. Make it a road trip, and good stops along the way include the Hunter Valley, Forster, Hat Head National Park and Nambucca Heads.

A Sydney to Coffs Harbour road trip takes you to the fifth largest city in New South Wales. Coffs Harbour makes a perfect stop on the drive north from Sydney to Byron Bay or Brisbane. It’s just over half way on the Sydney to Brisbane drive, but there are plenty of things to do in Coffs Harbour. It should be looked at as a destination in its own right, rather than an overnight head-rester.

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 get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.

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How long is the Sydney to Coffs Harbour drive?

But how long is the Sydney to Coffs Harbour drive? Well, the distance from Sydney to Coffs Harbour is around 533km, with an estimated Sydney to Coffs Harbour driving time of five hours and 24 minutes.

For many Australians, this is absolutely fine. But visitors from overseas might not be used to driving long distances in one stint. So let’s look at some good spots in New South Wales to break the journey on a Sydney to Coffs Harbour road trip.

Sydney to Coffs Harbour drive: Pacific Motorway

The bulk of the Sydney to Coffs Harbour drive is along the Pacific Motorway and Pacific Highway. The Pacific Motorway leaves Sydney over the Hawkesbury River. Just before then, you take the Riverboat Postman cruise from Brooklyn on the Hawkesbury.

Once over the river in Moonee Moonee, home of the Broken Bay Pearl Farm, you hit the Central Coast. Albeit the lesser-heralded inland areas rather than the highlights, such as the Bouddi Coastal Walk and the beaches at Terrigal, Patonga and Wamberal.

The Australian Reptile Park in Gosford is near the highway, however.

Click through for the next section: Newcastle and further north.