The Legendary Pacific Coast Highway: Your Guide from Byron Bay to Sydney

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The Legendary Pacific Coast Highway is a road trip between Brisbane and Sydney, part of the beautiful coast of Australia. This iconic road trip takes you along beaches, through quaint beach towns, and through significant wine regions. This particular guide discusses what to do between Byron Bay and Sydney.

You can read about visiting Brisbane and the Gold Coast here.

You can read about what to do in Sydney, Australia here.

The Minimum Recommended Itinerary for This Road Trip

The total drive time between Brisbane and Sydney is 9.5 hours. Here is how we would recommend breaking up the drive

DAILY ACTIVITY

WHERE TO STAY

DAY 1

Drive from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and spend the day in the Gold Coast.

Stay in Gold Coast

DAY 2

Drive from the Gold Coast to Byron Bay and spend the day exploring Byron Bay.

Stay in Byron Bay

DAY 3

Start your morning in Byron Bay and drive to Coffs Harbor, stopping at the beaches between Corindi and Esmeralda along the way.

Stay near Woolgoolga or Coffs Harbor

DAY 4

Drive to Nelson Bay and spend the afternoon here discovering the beaches and marine life.

Stay in the Port Stephens area

DAY 5

Drive to Newcastle and spend the rest of the day here exploring the beach and pools in the city.

Stay in Newcastle

DAY 6

Drive to Hunter Valley for some wine tasting and delicious food before making your way to Sydney.

Stay in Sydney

Discovering Byron Bay

Byron Bay is a coastal town that is known for its beautiful beaches, artistic flair, and laid-back lifestyle. Starting as a small surfer town, Byron Bay has grown to be a popular vacation destination that attracts everyone from backpackers to celebrities. It really is an easy place to relax in. The following are some of the different attractions in the area where you can spend your time.

The Farm

The Farm of Byron Bay is a farm, restaurant, and produce store that has become a popular morning destination among locals and tourists alike. It’s a great spot to grab some breakfast or lunch, a nice coffee, a fresh gelato made from the farm’s milk, sourdough bread, fresh flowers, and more. You can also walk around the farm to see the different livestock, great for the whole family. Every day, anyone can participate in an animal feeding at 10 AM and the farm provides guided tours Friday-Sunday. It really is a great activity for families and a delicious stop for anyone to visit.

Stone & Wood Brewery

This is a local brewer that has developed one of the most popular beers in the region, the flagship Pacific Ale. They have a diverse selection of beer that you can try on a flight. They also serve food and sell their beers in cans and bottles that you can take with you. If you are interested in seeing the behind-the-scenes of the brewery, you can reserve a brewery tour that includes a small tasting of their beer variety. As a bonus, Stone & Wood donates $1 per liter of beer sold to local charities through its inGrained Foundation, supporting initiatives like beach clean-ups and community breakfasts.

Byron Bay Farmers Market

Every Thursday morning is the Byron Farmers Market at the Butler Street Reserve near the main center of Byron Bay and Main Beach. Here, you can find fresh seasonal produce and some local food artisans that sell food and drinks for local vendors. When there isn’t a farmers market, you can walk around the town center and check out the boutiques.

Main Beach

The Main Beach is right off the town center of Byron Bay, making it an easy beach to go to when visiting Byron Bay. The beach is one of the most popular and has a number of lifeguards stations along the long beach.

Cape Byron Lighthouse (Most Easterly Point of Australia Mainland)

The most easterly point of Australia mainland is located at Cape Byron Lighthouse, right next to Byron Bay. From the lighthouse, you can look out and see Tallow Beach, an extensive beach that you can also visit during your time in the Byron Bay area. You can walk along the coastline here, looking out for different marine life such as dolphins and whales. There is a marker for the most easterly point as you walk beyond the lighthouse. The cliff path takes you to Wategos Beach, a smaller beach that is much less popular than the Main Beach. Parking at Cape Byron Lighthouse could be challenging; If you cannot park at the main lighthouse area, you may be able to park further down Lighthouse Road towards the exit of the lighthouse area.

Cape Byron Distillery

If you are want to try artisanal whiskey or gin in a location immersed in nature, then you will want to check out the Cape Byron Distillery, located just outside of Byron Bay. The distillery is located within a rainforest on a family-owned macademia farm. You can sample some of the liquor they produce, try one of their cocktails, take a tour of the distillery itself, and purchase some of their products. They even produce some non-alcoholic mocktails!

Stops Worth Considering When Road Tripping Between Byron Bay and Newcastle

When driving between Byron Bay and Sydney, there are a few places along the way that may be worth the stop, including roadside attractions, quaint beach towns, and beaches of course! The main towns along the coastal route include Woolgoolga, Coffs Harbour, Nelson Bay, and Newcastle. It may be worth spending a night at a few of these towns to break up the drive and take advantage of the beautiful coast. This list of places to stop at is not comprehensive but it gives a good range of the different sites and activities to do in this part of Australia.

Ballina - The Big Prawn

If you love cheesy roadside attractions, then this is the stop for you. In Ballina, you can find a giant prawn across the street from Ballina’s Bunnings, a hardware chain throughout Australia and New Zealand. (You will need to get off the highway to see this attraction.) This prawn is an impressive 9 meters (29.5 feet) tall so you really cannot miss it. And, if you are driving through Ballina during the day on a Saturday, you can stop at the Bunnings to get a sausage at their famous sausage sizzle, a fundraiser that supports a local community cause.

Corindi Beach to Emerald Beach (Woolgoolga)

Woolgoolga and the towns around it are some small quaint beachside communities. (The towns from Corindi to Emerald Beach are all part of this section.) The beaches here feel local and are often frequented by people who live in the region year-round rather than get inundated by visitors and tourists. Woolgoolga is the largest town in this part of the drive and you can stop at the Woolgoolga Beach and Headland to get a view of the expansive coastline both north and south.

Coffs Harbour - The Big Banana

The Big Banana is another roadside attraction that can help break up your drive between Byron Bay and Sydney. The giant banana sculpture is the entrance to the Big Banana Fun Park, a park full of a wide variety of attractions that can be fun for people of any age. The park includes a water park, escape rooms, mini golf, toboggan, bumper cars, arcade games, and more. (This could be especially fun if you find yourself in this part of Australia during a rainy day.) The large banana can be seen from the parking lot of the attraction park.

Nelson Bay, Port Stephens

Nelson Bay is another quaint beachside town in this part of Australia. As the largest town in the Port Stephens region, it is a great central hub for the different activities that can be done here, including interacting with whales, dolphins, and marine life, spending time on the expansive beaches, or eating and drinking at the quaint cafes and restaurants, especially near the docks of Nelson Bay.

Tomaree Head Summit Walk

At the edge of the peninsula of Port Stephens is the Tomaree Head Summit Walk, a walk that takes you up the hill and allows you to see the beautiful coast and landscape around you. The hike itself is relatively short and quite popular with locals. You can see more about the hike here.

4WD Beach Adventure - Worimi National Park

Port Stephens is also home to Stockton Beach, a part of the Worimi Conservation Lands where people with 4WD vehicles can drive across the beach and dunes. You should definitely know what your are doing to drive over the sand and dunes to avoid getting stuck on the beach. Otherwise, you can look into different tours that will take you onto the beach to go sandboarding and ride the dunes in a thrill ride.

Australian Vacation Town of Newcastle

New Castle is a unique town on the coast of Australia. It has a heavy industrial economy, especially with the exportation of coal. However, this gritty urban hub is juxtaposed against a beautiful coastline that is attractive to swimmers, sun-bathers, and surfers.

Bathers' Way Coastal Walk: Beaches and Baths to Visit

Because Newcastle is a city, the coast has been developed to include public baths and pools that are fed by ocean water. Below are the different beaches and baths along the Bathers’ Way (a coastal walk along Newcastle) that are worth exploring.

Nobbys Beach

This is a popular beach that lies below the Nobbys lighthouse. It’s great for families and those who are learning to surf, especially with the protected waters and the lifeguards that are on duty throughout the beach.

Newcastle Ocean Baths + Beach

The Newcastle Ocean Baths are a historical site along the Newcastle coast. The art deco facade has been an icon of the city since the 1920s and the baths beyond the facade are free and open to the public. The baths include a lap pool, a large open pool, and a shallow area for children. While the baths are always open, there are particular hours where lifeguards are on duty. These baths are right on the ocean, making them a beautiful, calm, and relaxing location to take in the ocean.

Adjacent to the baths is the Newcastle beach, giving you direct access to the ocean. It includes an esplanade along which you can walk, bike, skate, etc. And you can even check out the skate park that is right along the beach. The beach also stretches between the Newcastle Ocean Baths and the Bogey Hole, a must see spot in this city.

Bogey Hole

The Bogey Hole is a historical pool that was carved into the rocks of the Newcastle coast in 1819. It has been expanded over the years with safety features added to make it functional for people today, although the stairs down to the pool are quite steep. This rock pool is unique because the waves from the ocean continue to crash over the edge to fill the pool; however, this means that people should be more cautious during high tide and rougher water conditions. It really is best to visit during low tide.

Merewether Beach + Merewether Ocean Baths

The end of the Bathers’ Way is at the Merewether Beach and Ocean Baths. The beach itself is a long and wide beach that is a popular spot for surfers and surfing clubs. At the end of the beach are the ocean baths which are free and accessible to the public. These baths are the largest ocean baths in the southern hemisphere and are made up of a main pool and a children’s pool. The other great thing about these pools is that they are fully accessible with ramps and concrete paths for all people to use.

Newcastle Memorial Walk

The Newcastle Memorial Walk was built in memory of soldiers from WWI. It is located above the cliffs and has panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and Newcastle’s coastline. It is a fully accessible walkway with viewpoints along the way to highlight the natural beauty of this area.

Wine Tasting in the Hunter Valley

Hunter Valley is the oldest wine region in Australia and is a well respected area to find semillon and shiraz wine varieties. It is only 2 hours from Sydney and 1 hour from Newcastle, making it a popular and accessible wine region to visit in Australia. It is not uncommon for people to take day trips from Sydney to explore Hunter Valley, go to wine tastings, and eat delicious food from the different wineries in the region.

How to Visit the Hunter Valley on Your Own

Wine Tastings

With over 150 different vineyards, it can be quite overwhelming to visit this wine region. If you have a great interest in particular wines, you can research those varieties and find cellar doors that specialize in those grapes. However, if you are open to anything, you really have many options to choose from, knowing that most cellar doors have semillon and shiraz wine varieties since they are a specialty of the region.

To find tastings prior to going to Hunter Valley, you can look on the Hunter Valley visitor center website. Here, they list all the different wine cellars through the region, show where they are on the map, and display the reservation options for wine tastings. We recommend finding one or two cellars that are close to each other so you do not have to drive great distances within the valley for your tastings.

You can also call the Hunter Valley visitor center prior to your trip or even head there in the morning and they can help you find the best wine cellars for you based on your interest level in wine and the vision you have for your trip in the area. They are true experts on everything that the Hunter Valley has to offer, including cellar door tastings, dining options, hot air balloon rides, electric bike tours, and more.

Finding Delicious Dining Options

Wine and great dining often goes hand-in-hand and the Hunter Valley is no exception. Ranging from casual dining options to fine dining, you can really find delicious food for anyone. One restaurant that we highly recommend is the Baumé Restaurant at the Ben Ean vineyard. The food here is locally sourced and fresh with a Mediterranean influence. And you have the opportunity to dine on their patio looking out over their vineyards. This restaurant merges delicious food in a family-friendly setting, making it the best of both worlds. The region has some fancier restaurants than this and some more casual places as well.

You can ask the Hunter Valley visitor center for recommendations. You may need a reservation at some of the higher-end dining destinations.

Visiting the Hunter Valley with a Tour

Because of its close distance to Sydney, the Hunter Valley is easy to visit through a tour group from the city. A variety of companies provide small group visits to different wineries and include lunch in the tour. These visits are great for those who do not want to research and plan the different winery options. With these tours, often, the tastings, lunch, and transportation is all included in the price of the tour.

Another option is to rent an e-bike and ride around the valley to different wine cellars. Hunter Valley Bike Hire is a bike rental company that provides bike rentals and tours that go through different regions of the valley. The company can help you make reservations at different wine cellars to plan out your day. This is a great way to visit the area, embrace the wine region, and immerse yourself in the wine tastings. With this option, the wine tasting fees and lunch cost are not included in the rental.