West Wyalong to Parkes road trip: Distance, time & best stops

The West Wyalong to Parkes drive covers a distance of 138km in a driving time of around 1h34m. The top road trip stop to add to the itinerary is Forbes.

A road trip from West Wyalong to Parkes takes you between two appealing New South Wales country towns. For many travellers, this will be a leg of a Melbourne to Dubbo road trip.

For West Wyalong accommodation options, look here.

West Wyalong is a town that offers both art and nature. You can look at the range of West Wyalong accommodation options here.

To get the best deals on Parkes accommodation, step this way.

This guide should help you plan your perfect West Wyalong to Parkes road trip itinerary.

Click through on the individual places and attractions for more detailed, specific information.

If you need to hire a car, find the best rental deals. And don’t forget to do all your pre-road trip shopping.

West Wyalong to Parkes distance and driving time

By car, the distance from West Wyalong to Parkes is 138km. This makes for a driving time of around one hour and 34 minutes. Obviously, you may want to make a few road trip stops along the way.

West Wyalong is in the Riverina region, and is best known for its statue of painter Russell Drysdale. The West Wyalong Wetlands Boardwalk makes for a decent amble, and the colonial-era Royal Hotel is the best accommodation option.

Where to stay in West Wyalong

The best West Wyalong accommodation picks are

For a good quality motel at relatively cheap rates: Cameo Inn Motel.
For a four star in a historic building: Royal Hotel.
For central location: Mentor Chambers Apartment Bed & Breakfast.

West Wyalong to Parkes drive: Lake Cowal and Forbes

The next stop is Forbes, and the route passes Lake Cowal – the largest inland lake in New South Wales. It is, however, ephemeral, so don’t expect it brimming with water and birdlife.

Things to do in Forbes include learning about bushranger Ben Hall at the Forbes Historical Museum and strolling the Sculptures Down The Lachlan art trail. You can stay the night at the centrally-located Ben Hall Motor Inn or the well-reviewed Town and Country Motor Inn.

West Wyalong to Parkes road trip: Parkes attractions

Another 33km along the Newell Highway, and you arrive in Parkes.

Parkes hosts the Henry Parkes Centre, which houses Elvis museum King’s Castle.

Top of the list of things to do in Parkes, however, is paying a visit to the Dish. Also known as Murriyang, this powerful radio telescope at the CSIRO Parkes Observatory transmitted the images of the 1969 moon landing to the world.