Australia · road trip
Sydney to Brisbane by car: where to stop on the way
≈ 910 km / 565 mi · ~10 h driving · 5 stops
Sydney to Brisbane is ≈ 910 km (565 miles), about 10 hours of driving direct. The best places to stop on the way: Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay — with them it makes a relaxed 6-day road trip.
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One long day up the Pacific Motorway, or the better version: the New South Wales north coast in four or five, with koalas, surf towns and Byron Bay on the way.
Where to stop between Sydney and Brisbane
- 1
Sydney
Over the Harbour Bridge and north on the M1 — the coast is never far to your right.
- 2
Port Macquarie
A relaxed river-mouth town with a coastal walk and a koala hospital you can visit.
- 3
Coffs Harbour
Banana plantations, the jetty and Muttonbird Island — a good break halfway up the coast.
- 4
Byron Bay
The lighthouse walk at Cape Byron — mainland Australia's most easterly point — and some of its best surf.
- 5
Brisbane
Over the Queensland border and up to the river city — South Bank for the first evening.
Good to know
The Pacific Highway is dual carriageway the whole way now, so the direct drive is easy if long. Avoid Friday-afternoon and school-holiday traffic leaving Sydney; Byron Bay books out early in summer.
Sydney to Brisbane — FAQ
- Where should I stop between Sydney and Brisbane?
- The best stops are Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. To make a trip of it, spend a night in Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. Open the drive on the map to see each stop and the drive time between them.
- How far is Brisbane from Sydney?
- Sydney to Brisbane is about 910 km (565 miles) by road.
- How long does it take to drive from Sydney to Brisbane?
- Roughly 10 hours of driving direct, before any stops.
- Is Sydney to Brisbane a good road trip?
- Yes — with the stops above it makes a 6-day trip. Stopful maps the whole route, drive times, where to stay, and what the trip will cost before you book.
More drives
Or start from a blank map and plan any drive — Stopful shows drive times and distance for every leg, finds hotels and EV chargers along the route, and estimates what the trip will cost — stays, food, fuel and tolls — before you book any of it.