Sydney to Parkes road trip: Distance, time & best stops
The Sydney to Parkes drive covers a 256km distance, with a driving time of around 3h32m. Top road trip attractions include the Three Sisters, Marrangaroo National Park and the Orange wineries.
The drive from Sydney to Parkes takes you from Australia’s global icon to small town country New South Wales. It’s a road trip that shows off several different sides to the state, from national parks to wineries.
Sydney brings harbour cruises on romantic tall ships, historic pub tours and behind-the-scenes visits to the world’s most famous Opera House. To get the best deals on Sydney accommodation, book here. To find Sydney tours and experiences that suit your tastes, step this way.
There are also plenty of good places to stop along the main route from Sydney to Parkes. You may as well take your time and see a few attractions along the way.
Sydney to Parkes distance and driving time
The distance from Sydney to Parkes by car is 355km. That makes for a driving time of around four hours and 49 minutes. You can split road trip itinerary into two legs, staying in the Blue Mountains or Lithgow on the way.
Australia Travel Questions has a separate guide for the Sydney to Lithgow leg. But, in brief, it goes through Sydney’s western suburbs along the M4, crossing the Nepean River at Jamisontown.
Then, once into the Blue Mountains, there are a wealth of attractions to consider. Near Glenbrook, Jellybean Pool has the looks and the Euroka Campground has the kangaroos.
Sydney to Parkes drive: Blue Mountains attractions
Then there’s the Norman Lindsay Gallery in Faulconbridge, several waterfalls near Woodford and the Leura Cascades in Leura.
The most-visited Blue Mountains town, however, is Katoomba – home to the Three Sisters and Scenic World.
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.
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.
The Great Western Highway continues through Medlow Bath and Blackheath, home of the clifftop walk from the Evans Lookout to the Govetts Leap waterfall. The Sydney to Parkes drive then goes by the Pulpit Rock Lookout in Mount Victoria and past the vertiginous Hassans Walls.
Click through to the next section: Lithgow to Bathurst.