Sydney to Lismore road trip: Distance, time & best stops

Sydney to Lismore road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The best stops on a Sydney to Lismore road trip itinerary include Newcastle, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. By car, the Sydney to Lismore distance is 733km and driving time around 7h37m.

Planning a Sydney to Lismore road trip itinerary

A Sydney to Lismore road trip heads from the New South Wales capital to one of the major towns in the Northern Rivers region.

Sydney’s enormous collection of experiences includes all-inclusive sunset dinner cruisesbehind-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.

For the best Lismore accommodation deals, look here.

However, there are several excellent attractions between Sydney and Lismore. This guide is aimed at helping travellers plan their perfect Sydney to Lismore road trip itinerary.

Click through on the links for more detailed links about individual towns and attractions – and remember to stock up on your road trip essentials before setting off.

Sydney to Lismore distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Sydney to Lismore is 733km. This makes for a driving time of around seven hours and 37 minutes.

13 brilliant experiences in Sydney you should book

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

Excellent road trip stops between Sydney and Lismore 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 Lismore road trip: Sydney to Popran National Park

The first section of the Sydney to Lismore 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.

Road trip essentials that many travellers forget

Search on the web, and you’ll find ludicrously long lists of equipment to take on a road trip. Australia Travel Questions isn’t going to do that to you. But it is worth buying the following road trip items before setting off. Click through for a good range of options.

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.

The Central Coast is on the other side of the Hawkesbury Bridge, although beach towns such as Terrigal or The Entrance require a hefty detour.

Stay near the Pacific Motorway, though, and the Broken Bay Pearl Farm in Mooney Mooney shows how pearls are cultivated on its pearl farm tour.

Nearer Gosford, you’ll find the Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary, Australian Reptile Park and Girrakool Loop walking track.

3 experiences to book in Gosford

  • Australian Reptile Park day pass – learn (safely) about Australia’s snakes and spiders.
  • Try your hand at flying with a jetpack – or try flyboarding instead.
  • Soap-making experience – make your own smellies.

Glenworth Valley near Popran National Park, meanwhile, runs activities such as abseilinghorse-riding and quad biking.

Sydney to Lismore drive: Central Coast to Newcastle

Pleasant photo stops before hitting Newcastle include Somersby Falls, Strickland Falls and the Jilliby Lookout. Treetops Adventure Central Coast and Amazement Farm and Fun Park will eat a bit more of your time.

The Sydney to Lismore drive continues between Morriset and Cooranbong, veering west of Lake Macquarie and near the southern end of Watagans National Park.

The motorway goes around the second largest city in New South Wales – Newcastle. But you might wish to make an overnight stop here.

9 cool Newcastle experiences you need to book in advance

Top things to do in Newcastle include watching wildlife at Blackbutt Reservewhale-watching tours and visiting several good quality museums.

Newcastle also offers coastal boat toursstreet art walks and evening true crime tours.

The best way to enjoy Newcastle’s beaches is the 6km Bathers Way walk from Nobbys Beach to the Merewether Ocean Baths. This goes past Newcastle Beach and Bar Beach along the way, and you can tackle the short but visually impressive Newcastle Memorial Walk too.

Newcastle accommodation heroes include the lavish Crystalbrook Kingsley, the peppy QT Newcastle and the heritage-drenched Grand Hotel.

Surfing lessons at Nobbys Beach, Newcastle.
Surfing lessons at Nobbys Beach, Newcastle. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Click through for the next section: Newcastle to Port Stephens.