Sydney to Nyngan road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

The best stops on a Sydney to Nyngan road trip include the Blue Mountains, Mudgee’s wineries and Dubbo. By car, the distance from Sydney to Nyngan is 553km, with a driving time of 6h47m.

The drive from Sydney to Nyngan 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.

Nyngan is home to the Big Bogan. For Nyngan accommodation options, investigate here.

This guide should help you plan your perfect Sydney to Nyngan road trip itinerary.

Sydney to Nyngan distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Sydney to Nyngan is 553km. That makes for a driving time of around six hours and 47 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

The Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains.

(💲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 Nyngan 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 Nyngan 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 Nyngan drive: Leura and Katoomba

Leura and Katoomba are the most likely spots for an overnight stay on the Sydney to Nyngan drive, however.

The latter plays host to the Three Sisters and Scenic World.

Three Sisters, Echo Point, Katoomba, Blue Mountains — The Three Sisters at Echo Point are perhaps the most famous landmark in the Blue Mountains. Photo copyright David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Katoomba accommodation options include the budget-friendly Blue Mountains Heritage Hotel, the pool-equipped Skyrider Motor Inn and the heritage-laced Carrington Hotel.

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.

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.

Sydney to Nyngan drive: Lithgow and surrounds

The Sydney to Lithgow section of the Sydney to Nyngan drive then conquers the Pass of Victoria, skirting near the tremendous lookouts at Hassans Walls.

Things to do in Lithgow include discovering the coal-mining past at the Lithgow State Mine Heritage Park and admiring historic weapons at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory.

Top Lithgow accommodation choices

The best places to stay in Lithgow are:

For the highest guest ratings: Lithgow Workies Club Motel.
For heritage and charm: Wenvoe Historic Retreat.
For a heated outdoor pool: Zig Zag Motel and Apartments.

It’s 127km from Lithgow to Mudgee, but there’s are several attractions en route. Before joining the Castlereagh Highway, you can walk to the summit of Mount Walker in Marrangaroo National Park, for example.

Sydney to Nyngan road trip: Lithgow to Capertee Valley

There are several more worthwhile excursions from the Castlereagh Highway.

The Wolgan Valley has several spots worth exploring, including the majestic Wolgan Valley and Ben Bullen Mountain Top lookouts. The Blackfellows Hand Cave is also here.

The valley is also home to a world class resort – the Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley.

Those with a 4WD vehicle can then tackle the Ben Bullen Trail in the Gardens of Stone National Park. Expect sandstone cliffs and wildflowers.

Everyone else can enjoy the riverside walking trails and camping sites in Turon National Park or continue for a photo stop at Pearsons Lookout near Capertee.

The neighbouring Capertee Valley is allegedly the second largest canyon on earth. You can enjoy the towering escarpments on the scenic drive to Glen Davis.

The Capertee Valley in New South Wales was the filming location for the second series of SAS Australia. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Sydney to Nyngan drive: Capertee Valley to Mudgee

Just to the north of the valley, there’s great birdwatching in Capertee National Park offers great birdwatching. You’ll also find kangaroos and wallabies in the campgrounds, plus cracking views from the Valley Lookout.

The scenery gets a little flatter around pretty Lake Windamere, and the Sydney to Nyngan road trip enters the Mudgee wine region.

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

3 great experiences to book in Mudgee

Opal-polishing workshop – and set the opals as jewellery.
Wine and food tour in a classic car – indulge in style.
Sunrise hot air balloon flight – see the vineyards from above.

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

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

Click through for the next section: Mudgee to Dubbo.

Attractions between Sydney and Nyngan: Mudgee to Dubbo

It’s another 126km from Mudgee to Dubbo, with a few more wineries to sample on the way – including Ernest Schuetz Estate Wines and Gooree Park.

The drive goes past southern end of the Dapper Nature Reserve, where you’ll find plenty of kangaroos and birdlife.

Fine things to do in Dubbo include stargazing at the Dubbo Observatory and taking a safari-style trip to the Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Dubbo accommodation picks

Australia specialist booking site Wotif offers Dubbo accommodation for from $80 a night. To search through the options, visit the top deals page.

However, the following well-reviewed Dubbo accommodation options are particularly worth considering.

For families: Discovery Parks Dubbo holiday park.
For business travellers and anyone who wants a bit more space: The Quest apartments.
For good value in a central location: Surestay Hotel.
For a high quality motel with indoor AND outdoor pools: Cattlemans Country Motor Inn.

The Dubbo Clock Tower in Dubbo, NSW. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

Sydney to Nyngan drive: Dubbo to Nyngan

On the way from Dubbo to Nyngan you’ll pass through Narromine, home of the Narromine Aviation Museum and Tom Perry Park. The latter hosts a statue of Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath, Narromine’s famous cricketing son.

Just after Narromine is Trangie, where the Wungunja Cultural Centre showcases local Aboriginal art and culture.

The Mitchell Highway meets the Barrier Highway in Nyngan, however. Here, the Nyngan Museum looks at local history. The best photo stop, though, is the Big Bogan statue – one of the silliest Australian roadside Big Things.

Nyngan accommodation options include the half-decent Alamo Motor Inn and the more impressive Nyngan Riverside Tourist Park.