Sydney to Lightning Ridge road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Sydney to Lightning Ridge drive: Lake Windamere and Mudgee

The scenery flattens out a little afterwards, but Lake Windamere still makes for a good photo or two. The Mudgee region wineries start appearing shortly afterwards.

Skimstone in Apple Tree Flat and First Ridge Wines in Burrundulla are good tasting stops before arriving in Mudgee.

Mudgee activities include opal-polishing workshops, wine-tasting and horse-riding combos, plus wine tours in a classic car.

For Mudgee accommodation, try the very highly-rated Horatio Suites and Motel, the well-located Cobb & Co Court Boutique Hotel and the graceful Parkview Hotel.

Mudgee to Mendooran

From Mudgee, follow the Castlereagh Highway to Gulgong. Here, a couple of attractions that might keep spark interest. The Gulgong Pioneers Museum is a mish-mash of old photos, farm and mining equipment, and old vehicles.

The Gulgong Gold Experience is a better introduction to this former gold rush town, however. You can go gold-panning here, at the site of Gulgong’s original gold find, but the museum-like displays on goldfield life are good, too.

The next town on the Highway is Dunedoo. There’s nothing to get massively excited about here, but there are a few places to eat, plus a swimming pool and golf course. The highlight for visitors is likely to be the silo art – massive murals have been painted on Dunedoo’s grain silos.

Keep going for more art in Mendooran, a dairy town on the Castlereagh River. Unless you’re going for a drink in the Royal Hotel, the main attraction in Mendooran is the series of murals painted on buildings around the town.

The Mendooran murals are the handiwork of Karen Duce, and they depict rural life. The scene with the bullocks on the side of the Royal Hotel is arguably the most impressive.

Click through to the next section: Gilgandra and Coonamble.