Sydney to Grafton road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The best stops to add to a Sydney to Grafton road trip itinerary include Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. By car, the Sydney to Grafton distance is 618km and driving time around 6h30m.
A Sydney to Grafton road trip heads from the New South Wales capital to one of the major hubs of the Northern Rivers region.
Sydney offers tall ship cruises on the harbour, Opera House tours and historic pub tours. To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.
Grafton, meanwhile, has an impressive cathedral and is known for its gorgeous jacaranda trees. For Grafton accommodation picks, head here.
By far the best way of visiting Grafton is as part of a road trip, taking in several highlights of the New South Wales North Coast along the way. This guide should help you plan a Sydney to Grafton road trip itinerary.
Sydney to Grafton distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Sydney to Grafton is 618km. This makes for a driving time of around six hours and 30 minutes.
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.
Excellent road trip stops between Sydney and Grafton include Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.
You might, however, get more joy from smaller spots such as Forster, South West Rocks and Nambucca Heads.
Sydney to Grafton road trip: Sydney to the Hawkesbury River
The first section of the Sydney to Grafton road trip is the 170km drive from Sydney to Newcastle.
Some stops in Sydney’s northern suburbs are worth considering. These include Lane Cove National Park, Cumberland State Forest in West Pennant Hills and the architecturally-dazzling Rose Siedler House in Wahroonga.
Also mull over short detours to the gorgeous Bobbin Head picnic ground in Ku-Ring-Gai Chase National Park or Galston Gorge in Berowra Waters National Park.
Before crossing the Hawkesbury River in Brooklyn, you might wish to join the Riverboat Postman cruise. This postal boat brings tourists along as it delivers mail to small river communities like Dangar Island.
Click through for the next section: Brooklyn to Newcastle.