Brisbane to Sydney in 18 Days: The Slow Lane Down the Pacific Coast

The Pacific Highway between Brisbane and Sydney can be knocked over in two long days. Plenty of people do it. They arrive sore, broke on fuel and with nothing to show for the drive except a sunburn and a vague memory of the bypass at Coffs Harbour.

This road-tested itinerary takes 18 days instead. It trades the freeway for the coastal back roads, swaps the big caravan parks for $5 club stops, showgrounds, council reserves and one peaceful national park, and gives you the time to actually see the country you are driving through.

The brief is simple. Daily drives stay under 210 km. The camp mix leans heavily on low-cost and free options, with two paid commercial stops where the location justifies the spend. Average nightly camping cost is about $25 for the 18 days. Three two-night and one three-night stop at the better spots gives you room to breathe, do the washing, ride a camel, walk the headland and figure out whether Byron Bay is your kind of town or not (spoiler: probably not, if you have made it this far down the coast in a small rig). However, there is one reason to stop there.

For an overview of the east coast trip see our Cairns to Melbourne Road Trip Guide.

Why Take 18 Days Instead of Two?

The Pacific Coast is the most heavily marketed stretch of road in Australia. Every second town has a “famous” something, every headland has a $15 ticketed lookout and the big tourist hubs (Byron, Coffs, Port Stephens) charge accordingly. If you treat the coast as a transit corridor, you will get the marketing. If you treat it as a destination, you get the back beaches, the national park camps, the rugby club where a powered site costs less than a pub schnitzel, and the headlands at 6 am where you have the place to yourself.

The pace also matters practically. Short drive days mean you arrive in time to walk the beach before sunset. Two-night stays let the rig dry out, the batteries charge fully and your back recover from setting up and packing down every morning. By the time you arrive in Sydney, you have not been driving the Pacific Highway. You have been living on the coast.

For clarity, we bypassed Sydney. Big cities are not our thing, and we decided to keep driving. We kept on driving and stayed at the first stop on the Sydney to Melbourne section of this series. If this is also you, we provide detailed information on bypassing Sydney after the itinerary.

Brisbane to Sydney Quick Facts

• Duration: 18 Days
• Distance: 1,179 km
• Start / Finish: Brisbane / Sydney
• Best Months: April to November (pleasant temperatures, lower humidity, and prime whale-watching season)
• Road Conditions: 100% Sealed Bitumen (M1 Pacific Motorway and paved coastal arterial roads, with optional soft-sand 4WD access at Samurai/Birubi)
• Caravan Suitability: Excellent (suitable for all setups including full-size vans, off-road hybrids, and camper trailers)
• Camping Cost: low to moderate (heavy emphasis on low-cost showgrounds, council reserves, and national parks ranging from $5/night to $35/night, with two brief commercial park splurges)
• Fuel Availability: Excellent (frequent fuel stops along the M1 and regional hubs; diesel readily accessible throughout)
• Mobile Reception: Good to Excellent overall (Telstra/Optus solid in town hubs; weak or patchy coverage at Gumma Reserve and some national park areas)
• Pet Suitability: Moderate (permitted at showgrounds and club stops like Sharp Park, Murwillumbah, Gumma, and Red Devils; banned in Bundjalung and Yuraygir National Parks)
• Highlights: Lamington NP, Cape Byron Lighthouse Walk, Woody Head, Lake Arragan, Muttonbird Island, Stockton Bight Sand Dunes, Bathers Way Coastal Walk
• Difficulty: Easy (straightforward driving, well-marked roads, and manageable short daily legs)
• Who This Trip Suits: Full-time caravanners, self-contained touring rigs, budget-conscious road trippers, and travellers who prefer slow, unhurried coastal exploration over rapid highway transit
• Last Verified: August 2026

Brisbane to Sydney Map

The map below shows the route. A free interactive map with campground and attraction details is near the end of this article (see interactive map now).

The Itinerary at a Glance

• Day 1: Brisbane to Sharp Park (Canungra).
• Day 2: Sharp Park. Rest day.
• Day 3: Sharp Park to Murwillumbah.
• Day 4: Murwillumbah to Byron Bay.
• Day 5: Byron Bay to Woody Head.
• Day 6: Woody Head. Exploration day.
• Day 7: Woody Head to Lake Arragan.
• Day 8: Lake Arragan to Coffs Harbour.
• Day 9: Coffs Harbour. Town day.
• Day 10: Coffs Harbour to Gumma Reserve.
• Day 11: Gumma to Tuncurry.
• Day 12: Tuncurry. Local day.
• Day 13: Tuncurry to One Mile Beach.
• Day 14: One Mile Beach. Camels at Anna Bay.
• Day 15: One Mile Beach. Beach day.
• Day 16: One Mile Beach to Newcastle.
• Day 17: Newcastle. Exploration day.
• Day 18: Newcastle to Sydney.

Day 1: Brisbane to Sharp Park

The Drive

Brisbane to Sharp Park via the M1 and Beaudesert-Nerang Road | 86 km | 1.25 hours

On the Road

A short, easy first day. Head south on the M1. At the first exit after crossing the Coomera River in Helensvale, take Tamborine-Oxenford Road. The country lifts as you leave the coast. Cattle paddocks, banana plantations and the green wall of Lamington National Park to the south.

The Stay

Sharp Park Campground is a 120-site rural property split into two grassed areas across a small river. The larger area has 100 sites, the smaller side across the river has 20. The ground is gently undulating but levelling is straightforward, and there is enough open ground to get useful solar. Unpowered sites are $12 per adult per night, powered sites $32 for up to two people (only 21 powered sites and they are a bit cramped, so book ahead if you need 240V). Toilets and hot showers on site, firepits supplied (moveable), firewood $18 a bag from the office. Pets welcome with a registration form, tents permitted. Telstra and Optus both have coverage. No dump point and no water available, so arrive full and leave with capacity. Book on 0409 550 745, especially on weekends when it gets busy. Two-week maximum stay.

The Highlight

Sharp Park exists to be a base for Lamington National Park, which is the actual reason you are here. The O’Reilly’s section is the closer of the two main park entrances (40 minutes from camp on a winding sealed road, suitable for the tow vehicle but not the van). The Booyong Walk and the Python Rock track are both well-signed half-day options. The highlight of the Python Rock track is Python Rock Lookout.

Day 2: Sharp Park

The Drive

Local drives.

The Stay

Second night at Sharp Park.

The Highlight

Two options. The active version is the day trip up to O’Reilly’s for the Tree Top Walk and the longer Box Forest Circuit (an 11 km walk through subtropical rainforest with three waterfall stops). Allow a full day and pack a lunch; the cafe at O’Reilly’s is decent but expensive.

Python Rock Lookout is a 3.1 km return walk from the Tree Top Walk car park, following a well-formed track through the forest to a granite outcrop with a clear view down the escarpment towards the coast. Combine both and you have a two-hour round trip that covers the best short walks O’Reilly’s has to offer without eating into the rest of your day.

The quiet version is a walk along the river at the back of the campground, a swim if the level is up and a long afternoon under the awning. Either is legitimate. The point of a two-night stop is that you do not have to choose.

If you have the energy, the Canungra War Memorial precinct in town is worth 30 minutes. It covers the Land Warfare Centre that trained Australian troops for jungle warfare from 1942 onwards, and it is a small-town memorial that most travellers drive straight past.

Day 3: Sharp Park to Murwillumbah

The Drive

Sharp Park to Murwillumbah via Beaudesert and the Mt Lindesay Highway | 89 km | 1.25 hours

On the Road

Backtrack towards Canungra and take the Beaudesert-Nerang Road before rejoining the M1 to cross the border into NSW. After crossing the Tweed River, take the Tweed Valley Way then Cane Road to the showgrounds.

The Stay

Murwillumbah Showgrounds is centrally located within walking distance of the town centre. About 40 well-spaced and marked sites, mostly grassed with a small number on firm gravel. Request grass when you book; the lawn is well maintained. Sites are flat and mostly sunny for solar. Powered sites with water hookups, dump point on site, toilet and shower block (clean if a bit run-down, showers run hot from a single tap). Self-contained requirement (no greywater discharge permitted), no tents, no fires, pets welcome. $35 per night for a couple, $30 for a single. Bookings are essential on 042 332 7234 or online via the showground’s RMS booking system. Maximum seven-night stay. Enter via Gate 3.

Rob’s Tip: Avoid the first week of November. The Murwillumbah Show takes over the entire facility and bookings shut down. Check the show dates before you commit to dates in late October or early November.

The Highlight

We found Murwillumbah to be one of the more interesting small towns in northern NSW and worth wandering for a couple of hours. The Tweed Regional Gallery on Mistral Road houses the Margaret Olley Art Centre, a recreation of the painter’s chaotic Paddington studio with the original easels, brushes and unfinished canvases. It is free, takes 90 minutes and is one of the better regional galleries in the country.

The town’s heritage main street has half a dozen good cafes; Sugarcane on Murwillumbah Street does the best coffee. Wollumbin (Mt Warning) is a 20-minute drive south of town, and while the summit climb is now closed to walkers in line with Bundjalung wishes, the Lyrebird Track at the base is a worthwhile rainforest walk.

Day 4: Murwillumbah to Byron Bay

The Drive

Murwillumbah to Byron Bay via the Tweed Valley Way and Coast Road | 54 km | 1 hour

On the Road

One of the shortest driving days of the trip. Continue south along Tweed Valley Way through banana and macadamia country, joining the Pacific Motorway briefly before the Byron exit. Slow down in the 50 km/h zones; Byron’s local enforcement is heavy, and the fines fund the town.

The Stay

Byron Bay Red Devils Camping is the budget alternative to the $80-a-night caravan parks. It is run by the local rugby club behind their sports field, 3 km south of central Byron Bay on Bangalow Road.

We recommend the flat grassed area running along the side of the oval (about 10 unmarked sites, no power, water available from a tap on the boundary fence). Avoid the older section behind the clubhouse; it has become a long-term residential shantytown that does not suit travellers passing through. Toilets and basic showers in the clubhouse (code-locked, limited privacy). Camp kitchen, limited rubbish facilities. Pets and tents permitted, no fires, no dump point. Telstra and Optus both have coverage. Maximum three-night stay. No bookings; the caretaker will collect cash or card in the evening or morning.

The Honest Take: Red Devils used to be the obvious choice for budget travellers in Byron. On our visit, it was $30 a night, and it was a fair deal. The current $40 a night for an unpowered site with limited facilities and zero privacy is not. You are paying a premium for postcode rather than product. By Byron standards it is still the cheapest option in town that is not a backpacker hostel, but compare it honestly to Sharp Park ($32 powered) or Woody Head ($34.85 unpowered in a national park with showers) and the value evaporates.

Byron Bay has been comprehensively commercialised. The main beach is still beautiful, the surf is still good and the headland walk is still excellent, but everything in between has been priced for the influencer market. The lookout cafes charge $9 for a flat white. The “wellness retreats” on Jonson Street will sell you a sound bath for $80. Treat Byron as a one-night stop. Do the things worth doing and move on.

In our opinion, the only unique drawcard here is to get to the most easterly point on the Australian mainland.

The Highlight

Two things justify the stop and both are free. The Cape Byron Lighthouse Walk is a 3.7 km return loop from the Captain Cook Lookout car park, climbing past Wategos Beach and out to the lighthouse. The most easterly point of the Australian mainland is signposted on the headland just below the lighthouse, marked by a small platform with the GPS coordinates and a panel explaining what you are looking at. Do this walk at 6 am. By 9 am the whole place is heaving. The lighthouse grounds are free to walk; the museum inside is $7 and worth it for the original Fresnel lens and the keeper’s quarters. Park at the Captain Cook Lookout (free parking) rather than the lighthouse upper car park ($10 for a maximum of 1 hour).

Day 5: Byron Bay to Woody Head

The Drive

Byron Bay to Woody Head via the Pacific Motorway | 116 km | 1.5 hours

On the Road

Straight drive south on the Pacific Motorway through Ballina, Wardell and over the Richmond River at Woodburn. Take the Iluka exit and the last 12 km is sealed bitumen through the eucalypt forest into Bundjalung National Park. The contrast with Byron starts within 10 minutes of leaving town and intensifies as you cross the Richmond.

The Stay

Woody Head Campground is a 91-site facility on the shore of Bundjalung National Park, 5 km from Iluka. Sites are a mix of mesh pads and mown grass and vary considerably in size; check the dimensions when booking and pick one that matches your rig.

Each site has a water tap and the caravan sites have sullage. Sites on the eastern side get morning shade; most others have at least adequate sun for solar. Many sites have their own firepits (caravan sites are the exception), and communal firepits are scattered through the campground. Hot showers in the amenity block ($1 for four minutes; carry coins). The dump point is near the rubbish bins. $34.85 per night for up to six people, maximum seven-night stay. National park rules: no pets, tents permitted, fires allowed in supplied pits. Bookings essential through NSW NPWS online before you arrive; do not turn up without one. Check-in is officially 2 pm but they were flexible when we arrived just after midday.

Rob’s Tip: The wildlife at Woody Head is very tame. The eastern grey kangaroos will walk through your camp and the rainbow lorikeets will steal anything you leave on the table. One evening I was sitting at the fire and felt something next to me; it was a roo’s head 30 cm from mine. Pack food away before dusk and do not feed anything. They are wild animals and they keep their teeth.

The Highlight

Woody Head is the camp. Walk down to the rock platform at low tide; the rock pools are excellent and the views back along the coast to Iluka Bluff are worth the 20-minute amble. Fishing off the platform is good for whiting and bream. Sunset from the headland behind sites 70 to 80 is the photo of the trip.

Day 6: Woody Head

The Drive

Local driving only.

The Stay

Second night at Woody Head.

The Highlight

The Iluka Nature Reserve is a 5 km drive south of camp and protects the largest stand of littoral rainforest in NSW, World Heritage-listed since 1986. The Iluka Rainforest Walk is a 2.6 km walk that takes 90 minutes and is one of the more impressive short walks on the north coast. Pack water; it is humid and the canopy traps the heat.

For the active half-day, take the 10-minute ferry across the Clarence River from Iluka to Yamba (foot passengers only, $11.90 each way, vehicles take the long way around). Yamba’s main beach is good for a swim and the Pacific Hotel pub on the headland does the best counter meal on this stretch of coast. The fish co-op at Iluka sells whole fish, prawns and oysters direct from the boats; restock for tomorrow night’s camp dinner.

Day 7: Woody Head to Lake Arragan

The Drive

Woody Head to Lake Arragan via Maclean and Brooms Head Road | 49 km | 0.75 hours

On the Road

Back out onto the Pacific Motorway, south to Maclean, then 20 km east on Brooms Head Road. The road is sealed throughout but watch for kangaroos in the last 10 km, particularly at dawn and dusk. Maclean is the resupply stop. The IGA there is the last full-size grocer before Coffs Harbour.

The Stay

Lake Arragan Campground (officially Lake Arragan and Red Cliff Campgrounds) is an 89-site beach camp in Yuraygir National Park, with tent-only sites and sites for tents, camper trailers and caravans. Sites are a mix of gravel, grass and formed earth, fairly flat with some levelling required. Each site is numbered and a campground map is on the NSW NPWS booking page.

All sites unpowered, no bulk water available (carry your own), drop toilets near the tent-only area and a separate set near the caravan sites. Sites 24 to 29 are more shaded and get less morning sun. Sites 30 upwards have the better ocean views and the best solar exposure. Sites 39 and 40 are the largest with some ocean view, and sites 41 to 47 have full ocean views. $24.60 per night, book online through NSW NPWS. Check-out 10 am, check-in 2 pm; we arrived at 11:30 am with no issues. Fires allowed in supplied pits. Telstra has coverage; Optus is weak. Pets not permitted (national park).

Rob’s Tip: Pick your site for the wind. The coastal sites with site numbers in the 40s are exposed when a southerly comes through; sites 30 to 38 are better tucked. Check the forecast before you choose.

The Highlight

Lake Arragan is a coastal lagoon separated from the ocean by a dune line. The lake is shallow, warm and good for an afternoon swim; the ocean beach is 200 m over the dune and is empty most of the year. Watch for whales between May and November.

Day 8: Lake Arragan to Coffs Harbour

The Drive

Lake Arragan to Coffs Harbour via the Pacific Motorway | 137 km | 1.5 hours

On the Road

Head back to Maclean, then south on the Pacific Motorway through Grafton, Glenugie and into the Coffs Coast. The motorway is dual carriageway throughout and the towns are bypassed, so the drive is fast but featureless. The Coffs Harbour exit puts you straight into town.

The Stay

Coffs Harbour Leagues Club is the budget alternative to the Big4-style caravan parks. Nine sites in the club car park; three powered with water hookups, six unpowered. Sites are a mix of gravel and grass, fairly flat. Toilets and showers are in a smaller block towards the entrance to the site, a 300 m walk from the camping area (not in the main clubhouse). No dump point on site, but one is located not far away. Pets and tents permitted, no fires. Telstra and Optus both have coverage. Check in with the caretaker in the Roma van near the sea container. Book ahead on 0412 722 942.

The Honest Take: During our stay the price was $25 unpowered and $30 powered. Recent reports confirm this has climbed to $30 unpowered and $40 powered. At $40 for a powered site with a 300 m walk to the toilets, you are paying caravan park money for club camping. It is still cheaper than the $60-plus commercial parks in Coffs and the location is convenient for the highway, but the value gap is closing. If you do not need power, the $30 rate is still reasonable; if you do, weigh it against an extra $20 for a proper park.

The Highlight

Save the Coffs exploration for tomorrow. Wander down to the marina precinct and watch the sunset over the jetty.

Day 9: Coffs Harbour

The Drive

Short drives only, in the tow vehicle.

The Stay

Second night at Coffs Harbour Leagues Club.

The Highlight

The Big Banana is exactly what you would expect: a giant fibreglass banana. Stop for the photo at the front (free). The better attractions are elsewhere.

Muttonbird Island Nature Reserve is connected to the Coffs Harbour Jetty by a 500 m breakwater walk and is one of the better short coastal walks on the north coast. The summit lookout takes 30 minutes and the wedge-tailed shearwater colony nests here between August and April. Whale spotting from the summit between June and November is excellent.

The Forest Sky Pier at the Sealy Lookout in Bruxner Park (15 minutes inland) is a 21 m cantilevered viewing platform with 360-degree views over the Coffs coast and back into the Great Dividing Range. Free, takes 90 minutes including the drive. The Korora Lookout on the way back is worth a 10-minute stop.

For groceries, the Park Beach Plaza has an Aldi and a Woolworths within 500 m of each other. This is your last serious resupply before Tuncurry.

Day 10: Coffs Harbour to Gumma Reserve

The Drive

Coffs Harbour to Gumma Reserve via the Pacific Motorway | 60 km | 0.45 hour

On the Road

South on the Pacific Motorway past Bonville and Nambucca Heads. After Nambucca Heads take the exit onto Old Coast Road and onto River Road on the other side of Nambucca River. This will eventually get you to Gumma Reserve. The last 1 km into the reserve narrows considerably, so watch for oncoming traffic on the narrow sections.

The Stay

Gumma Recreational Reserve is a council-run camp on the banks of Warrel Creek, 20 km south of Nambucca Heads. About 30 unmarked grassy sites along the creek (the riverfront sites are in high demand and difficult to secure) and additional sites set back from the access track and beyond the toilet block.

All sites unpowered and on a first-come-first-served basis (no bookings). Two toilet blocks (one older, one newer); the new block has two outdoor cold showers, a drinking water tap and a dump point. You cannot fill caravan tanks here; the drinking tap is for jerry cans only. Some sites are flatter than others, but levelling is straightforward. Rubbish bins at the far end of the camping area. Pets, tents and fires permitted. Telstra and Optus coverage is weak (download maps before arrival).

Fees are mildly complicated. Outside NSW school holidays: $22 single, $28 couple, $12 per extra adult. School holidays: $28 single, $33 couple, $12 per extra. Family of four is $33 year-round, extra children $10 each. Card only, collected each morning. Maximum stay is one month.

Rob’s Tip: The mozzies can be brutal here depending on conditions. Carry decent repellent (a tropical-strength DEET formulation, not the citronella nonsense), particularly at dusk. The cicadas in summer are loud enough to interrupt conversation; you get used to them by the second evening.

The Highlight

Gumma is the highlight. It is peaceful, the creek is good for a swim or a kayak (if you have one), and the bird life along the water is excellent at dawn. The reserve emptied out considerably on Sunday during our stay, so avoid the weekend if you can.

In the afternoon, it is worth taking a short drive north into Nambucca Heads to explore two of the town’s best highlights. Start in the town centre at the corner of Bowra and Ridge Street to check out the Nambucca Heads Art Wall. It’s a 60-metre public mosaic winding along the footpath, built from thousands of colourful ceramic tiles, teacups, and ocean-themed sculptures.

Afterwards, head down to the coast for a scenic leg-stretcher along the shore from Shelley Beach to Wellington Beach. Alternatively check out the V-Wall, where generations of travellers and locals have painted colourful messages, artwork, and memories onto the giant granite breakwater boulders lining the river mouth.

Day 11: Gumma to Tuncurry

The Drive

Gumma Reserve to Tuncurry via the Pacific Motorway | 206 km | 2.5 hours

On the Road

Head back out to the Pacific Motorway and south past Port Macquarie, Kew, Taree and over the Manning River. The drive is straightforward dual carriageway throughout, but it is the longest day on the trip. Top up fuel at the Port Macquarie service centre; diesel pricing climbs steadily south from here through to Newcastle.

If you have the time, you may like to break up this leg and stop in Port Macquarie.

The Stay

Tuncurry Sports Club is, dollar for dollar, the best-value camp on the entire route. About 12 unmarked sites in a gravel car park surrounded by a fringe of grass (a few sites at the far end are full grass). Sites are fairly flat but some levelling is normal.

All sites are unpowered, no water available, no toilets accessible to campers (the club’s facilities are off-limits to caravanners). There is a dump point on the other side of the clubhouse from the camping area; you need to drive to use it. Pets permitted, no tents allowed, no fires, no rooftop tents and no mini-vans. Telstra and Optus both have coverage. Two-night maximum stay. $5 per person per night. Pay at reception in the clubhouse after you set up.

The Honest Take: The catch is the self-containment requirement. To stay here your rig must have an internal toilet and shower. The club is strict about this, and there are documented cases of people being refused entry or asked to leave because they did not have both. If you have a hybrid with an internal toilet but no shower, or a camper trailer with neither, this stop does not work. If your van has both, this is unbeatable value. Two nights for a couple is $20 total. The club bistro is excellent and well-priced (you are not required to eat there but you should). Counter meals around $20, schooner of local beer around $7.

The Highlight

Walk over to the Forster-Tuncurry bridge for sunset. The dolphins in Wallis Lake are reliable and the pelicans hang around the boat ramp for scraps. Reach the highlights on the Forster side tomorrow.

Tuncurry Rock Pool is a net-enclosed saltwater swimming spot at the mouth of Wallis Lake. Go in the late afternoon to miss the crowds, then walk the adjoining foreshore reserve at sunset.

Day 12: Tuncurry

The Drive

No driving today, although you can take the tow vehicle across the Forster bridge.

The Stay

Second night at Tuncurry Sports Club.

The Highlight

Forster is across the bridge from Tuncurry and is the more developed of the twin towns. The Bicentennial Walk along the foreshore is 4 km return and gives you the best view of Wallis Lake. One Mile Beach (the local one, not the Anna Bay one you will reach later) is a 10-minute drive south and is consistently underrated. Dolphin Watch Beach Cruises run from the Forster marina; if you are going to spend money in Forster, the sunset cruise is the one to take ($90 per adult, dolphins basically guaranteed in season).

If your timing aligns with late summer, look out for the Shuck and Shell Barrington Coast Sustainable Seafood Festival. It’s a ticketed long-table lunch at Coomba Bay featuring local blue swimmer crab, freshly shucked Wallis Lake oysters, and gin cocktails from Wharf St Distillery. Otherwise, the seafood at the Wallis Lake Fishermen’s Co-op is direct from the boats. Buy a kilo of king prawns and a half-dozen Sydney rock oysters for a fraction of the price back at camp. Tuncurry Beach is good for a long walk, and the rock pools at the southern end fill up nicely at low tide.

Day 13: Tuncurry to One Mile Beach

The Drive

Tuncurry to One Mile Beach via Bulahdelah and Anna Bay | 163 km | 2 hours

On the Road

South on the Pacific Motorway past Bulahdelah and the Karuah River. Take the Medowie Road exit and head south onto Richardson Road and onto Nelson Bay Road through Salt Ash and Anna Bay. The road is sealed and easy, but traffic builds noticeably as you approach Port Stephens, particularly on weekends and school holidays.

The Stay

Ingenia Holidays One Mile Beach is the commercial holiday park option for this section of the trip and the second of the two paid stops on the itinerary. The decision to use it is geography: there are no realistic low-cost stops within striking distance of Anna Bay and the camel ride is the reason most travellers stop here. Expect powered sites priced typical of the Ingenia chain ($55 to $85 a night depending on season and site type), a swimming pool, decent amenities and a kiosk. Book ahead in school holidays.

The Honest Take: Three nights at Ingenia will be the most expensive section of your trip by a significant margin. If your budget is tight and you don’t care about the camel ride, you can skip Anna Bay entirely, continue to a free camp west of Newcastle, and do Port Stephens as a day trip from there. The trade-off is the loss of two beach days that are worth the cost if you can afford it.

The Highlight

One Mile Beach is a 2 km arc of clean white sand backed by dunes, walking distance from the park. Bushrangers Bay at the southern end of the headland is a 30-minute return walk and is the better swimming spot. The Stockton Bight sand dunes (the largest moving coastal dunes in the southern hemisphere) start at Anna Bay just down the road.

We treated the place as a way to catch up on life’s necessities and have a bit of a relax.

Day 14: One Mile Beach

The Drive

10 minutes to Anna Bay.

The Stay

Second night at Ingenia One Mile Beach.

The Highlight

Oakfield Ranch Camel Rides at Birubi Point in Anna Bay is the reason you are here. Rides are available continuously from the beach at Birubi Point. The standard 20-minute ride costs $50 per adult and takes you across the Stockton dunes with the ocean on one side and the Worimi Conservation Lands on the other. It is a tourist activity, you will not pretend otherwise, but it is well-run and the camels are clearly well-cared-for. No bookings are taken.

The dunes are worth half a day. You can drive on with a 4WD permit ($33 for a day pass from Tea Gardens) and basic sand-driving experience. The dunes shift 4 m a year; somewhere under them is a buried 1974 shipwreck, the Sygna, parts of which still poke out after storms.

Birubi Beach Surf Club does decent burgers and the beach is patrolled in summer. The headland lookout above the camel ride pickup is the photo spot.

Day 15: One Mile Beach

The Drive

No driving today, unless you head out to Samurai Beach.

The Stay

Third night at Ingenia One Mile Beach.

The Highlight

Samurai Beach is the local secret and the option for the adventurous. It is a clothing-optional beach within walking distance of the caravan park. At the northern end of the beach, there is a free clothing-optional bush camp, accessible strictly by 4WD with experience driving in soft sand. The camp is unmanaged, has no facilities and is off-grid. We mention it for completeness; it is not for everyone and the beach is not for everyone either. If neither sounds like your idea of a good time, ignore the paragraph entirely and have a quiet day at One Mile.

For the less adventurous version, Tomaree Head Summit Walk at the entrance to Port Stephens is the headline walk of the region. It is a 2.2 km return climb (steep in places, with stairs and rocky steps) to a WWII gun emplacement and a 360-degree view over the bay, Yacaaba Head and out to Broughton Island. Allow two hours. Park at the Tomaree National Park car park at Shoal Bay; arrive before 9 am or after 3 pm to avoid the crowd.

For those with more energy, the Tomaree Coastal Walk follows the coast and includes the Slot Canyon Lookout.

Day 16: One Mile Beach to Newcastle

The Drive

One Mile Beach to Newcastle via Nelson Bay Road and the Pacific Motorway | 57 km | 1 hour

On the Road

Back to the Pacific Motorway via Nelson Bay Road and Williamtown. The drive past the RAAF base at Williamtown is straightforward; expect heavy traffic into Newcastle if you are arriving on a Friday afternoon.

The Stay

Newcastle does not have a strong low-cost camping scene. The primary commercial option right on the water is NRMA Stockton Beach Holiday Park (around $55 to $85 a night for a powered site). It is on the beachfront on the northern side of the harbour, a short walk from the Stockton ferry, which takes 5 minutes to reach Newcastle’s city centre.

An alternative is to skip Newcastle accommodation entirely and stay at one of the free camps west of the city (Sugarloaf State Conservation Area has two free camping areas off of Sugarloaf Range Road, around 30 minutes inland) and do Newcastle as a day trip. This saves around $80 to $100 but loses you the evening in the city.

The Highlight

Save the proper exploring for tomorrow. Tonight, walk the Stockton breakwater for sunset over the harbour entrance.

Day 17: Newcastle

The Drive

No driving today.

The Stay

Second night in Newcastle.

The Highlight

Newcastle has spent the past 20 years moving from a steel city to a cultural destination and is now one of the more interesting day-trip cities in NSW. Three things earn the layover.

The Bathers Way Coastal Walk runs from Nobbys Lighthouse to Merewether Beach (6 km one way, 12 km return). It is one of the better urban coastal walks in the country, taking in the ocean baths at Newcastle Beach, the Bogey Hole (a convict-built rock pool from 1819) and the lookout at Strzelecki Lookout. The full return takes most of a day; the half-walk to Bar Beach and back is 5 km return and gives you the highlights.

The Newcastle Museum on Workshop Way covers the steel-making history of the city, the 1989 earthquake and the working harbour. Allow 90 minutes; entry is free.

Hunter Street has had a serious upgrade. The light rail runs from the harbour to Wickham, the laneways behind have decent coffee and the Newcastle Art Gallery on Laman Street holds a strong collection of Australian works including a respectable Margaret Olley. Free entry, 90 minutes.

Day 18: Newcastle to Sydney

The Drive

Newcastle to Sydney via the M1 Pacific Motorway | 165 km | 2 hours

On the Road

The M1 south of Newcastle is one of the easier urban motorways in Australia outside of peak. Traffic builds steadily from Wyong onwards and the Sydney basin starts in earnest at Berowra. Time your departure to avoid the Sydney morning peak (before 6 am or after 10 am) if you are heading into the inner suburbs.

Where you end up in Sydney depends on your onward plans. Lane Cove Holiday Park on the north shore is the closest caravan park to the harbour ($75 to $95 a night). Sydney Lakeside at Narrabeen is the option if you have plans on the northern beaches. If you are continuing south, push past Sydney entirely and stop at the Berry Showground (south coast, $30 a night, walking distance to one of the better small towns in NSW).

Interactive Brisbane to Sydney Road Trip Map

The free interactive map below shows campground locations, points of interest, starting points for walks and fuel stops. Click on a campground for information on it and zoom in to see more detail.

If you jumped here from earlier in the article, you can jump back to the same spot: Take me back to the static map.

Sydney to Brisbane: The reverse trip.

Here is the summary of the itinerary in the reverse direction. On a mobile device, scroll across to see the highlights of each day.

If you are doing the itinerary in reverse, the next stage is Brisbane to Cairns.

Bypassing Sydney: The Toll Road Question

For those bypassing Sydney, as we did, you need to consider the toll situation.

Sydney’s motorway network is comprehensively tolled, and towing a caravan through it is not a straightforward “pay the same as a car” proposition. NSW toll roads classify vehicles as either Class A or Class B, and which bracket you fall into is determined automatically by roadside sensors reading the combined length and height of your car and van, not by what you are actually driving.

Class A covers any vehicle and towed combination up to 12.5 m in total length and 2.8 m in height. Most small to mid-size caravan and hybrid setups are within this limit and pay standard car tolls. Class B is everything above those figures, and it is priced as a heavy vehicle, sometimes close to three times the Class A rate on the same stretch of road. The practical trap is that plenty of legitimate touring rigs tip over the line without the owner realising it. A dual-cab ute at 5.8 m towing an off-road van at 7 m with the drawbar included comes to 12.8 m, enough to trigger Class B on a network that measures to the centimetre. If your van is anywhere near the 21 to 22 foot mark, or your roof carries a solar panel, awning or roof-top tent that pushes height over 2.8 m, assume you could be classified as Class B until you have checked.

We have used the Sydney Motorways Toll Calculator to calculate the potential cost (in August 2026). A trip through Sydney from north to south is currently $26.46 for a Class A vehicle. Are you ready for a shock? The cost of a Class B vehicle is $79.37.

There is a rebate for this, but it comes with limitations. The Large Towed Recreational Vehicle Toll Rebate refunds the difference between the Class B and Class A toll on Sydney’s motorway network, bringing the cost back to car rates. It does not apply to the Sydney Harbour Bridge or the Harbour Tunnel, both of which charge a flat single rate regardless of vehicle class, and it is capped at eight tolled trips per monthly billing period. More importantly for anyone passing through, both the car and the caravan need to be registered in NSW for private, pensioner or charitable use. If you are travelling through on interstate plates, which most people doing a Brisbane to Sydney trip will be, the rebate does not apply to you at all. You pay the Class B rate in full.

Given that, the honest advice for most travellers on this itinerary is to skip the tolled motorways through Sydney altogether rather than gamble on classification or chase a rebate you likely cannot claim.

The Bypass Route

On the approach to Sydney exit the M1 at Wahroonga before reaching the first toll point. From there, follow the Pacific Highway (A1) down to Pymble, peel off onto Ryde Road / Lane Cove Road (A3), and cross the Parramatta River via Ryde Bridge onto Concord Road. The route briefly transitions onto Hume Highway (A22) through Strathfield before picking up Stacey St (A6), which takes you south to reconnect with the Princes Highway (A1) at Heathcote.

This route keeps you completely on untolled roads and avoids the M1, M2, M7, M8, and WestConnex motorway tunnels, as well as the southbound toll on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The trade-off is time. Expect the bypass route to add 30 to 45 minutes over the tolled motorways, depending on traffic light timing and the time of day. On a weekday afternoon, closer to 45 minutes is realistic; early on a weekend morning, you may only lose 20 to 30 minutes.

The rationale is simple arithmetic. The risk of being pinged for a $79+ Class B heavy vehicle toll is real. Losing half an hour costs you nothing beyond the time, making it a logical trade for a trip built around a slower pace and lower spend. If your van is small enough to be within Class A limits (under 12.5 m combined length and under 2.8 m high), the tolled route is faster and the cost is manageable. If there is any doubt about your combined dimensions, take the Wahroonga-to-Heathcote bypass and avoid a costly surprise on your toll account. You will also not have to worry about setting up a temporary toll account.

If you do use the toll roads, set up a toll account before hitting the road: Linkt. You will need a Tagless Account.

Where to Next

Sydney is the end of this itinerary, but it is also the start of two onward options. South down the NSW coast picks up at Berry and runs through Kiama, Jervis Bay and Eden to the Victorian border. This leg of the Cairns to Melbourne guide is covered in our Sydney to Melbourne Road Trip guide.

The inland alternative is the Hume south to Goulburn and Canberra, or west to the Blue Mountains and the central west. For the south coast continuation, our coverage of the Berry Showground gives you the next-night camp; for the central NSW direction, our New South Wales Road Trips guide is the better starting point.

Final Tips for the Brisbane to Sydney Coast

Fuel: Diesel pricing climbs steadily as you head south, with Coffs Harbour and the Hunter the most expensive sections. Top up at Maclean and Kempsey on the way through. Use FuelMap or Petrolspy to compare before you commit. The biggest spread we saw was 24 cents per litre between the cheapest Maclean servo and the dearest Coffs station, 60 km apart.

Water: Carry at least 80 L of drinking water with a reserve for washing. The free or low-cost camps at Gumma and Tuncurry have no fill-capable taps. Lake Arragan has no water at all. Top up at every council-supplied tap when you get the chance: Sharp Park, Murwillumbah, Woody Head and Coffs Harbour all have public fill points.

School holidays: The NSW north coast is heaving during NSW and Queensland school holidays, particularly the December-January window and Easter. Bookings at Woody Head, Lake Arragan and Murwillumbah Showgrounds need to be made weeks in advance for those periods. Outside school holidays you can often roll into any of them and find a site.

Self-containment: Murwillumbah and Tuncurry both require full self-containment (internal toilet and, in Tuncurry’s case, internal shower as well). Make sure your grey-water capture and toilet systems are in order before you leave Brisbane.

Wildlife: Kangaroos at Woody Head are tame to the point of being a nuisance; they will help themselves to anything you leave out. Lock food away. Goannas at Gumma will also raid an unattended camp. North coast mosquitoes can be aggressive between November and April; pack proper repellent.

Mobile coverage: Telstra is the better network throughout this route. Optus has coverage in towns but drops out at Lake Arragan and is weak at Gumma. Download offline maps before you leave any town.

Cash and cards: Most camps now accept card. Sharp Park is cash or card at the office, Gumma is card only at morning collection, Tuncurry pays at the club bar. Carry $50 in cash for honesty boxes and the camel ride backup.

Pacing Advice: Compressing the Trip

If 18 days is more than you have, the itinerary compresses cleanly. The structural design is that all the multi-night stops are optional. Cut them and the trip drops to 12 days without changing the camps or the route.

The first cut is Day 2 at Sharp Park. The campground is pleasant but Lamington National Park can be done as a day trip from Murwillumbah or skipped entirely. Removing it saves one night.

The second cut is Day 6 at Woody Head. A single night gives you the campground and the beach; you lose the Iluka Rainforest Walk and the Yamba ferry. Removing it saves one night.

The third cut is Day 9 at Coffs Harbour. Coffs has enough to fill a day but it is also a town you can drive through without missing much. Combine the Day 8 arrival with a same-day visit to Muttonbird Island and roll out the next morning. Removing it saves one night.

The fourth cut is Day 12 at Tuncurry. Two nights here is luxury, not necessity. One night gives you the club meal and the bridge sunset; you lose the day on the Forster side. Removing it saves one night.

The fifth cut is one of the three nights at One Mile Beach. The camel ride is a half-day activity; Tomaree Head is another half day. Two nights at Ingenia covers both, and you can skip the third Samurai Beach day if it does not appeal. Removing it saves one night.

The sixth cut is Day 17 at Newcastle. Newcastle can be done as a long lunch on the way through; arrive mid-morning, do the Bathers Way half-walk and the museum, push on to Sydney by sunset. Removing it saves one night.

At the most aggressive compression you can run Brisbane to Sydney via the same camps in 12 days. Daily drives stay under 350 km and the camp mix is unchanged. Below 12 days, you are no longer doing the coast; you are doing the Pacific Motorway with overnight stops, which is a different trip and not the one this itinerary is for.

Wrapping Up

Brisbane to Sydney on the coast is one of the most heavily trafficked road trips in Australia and one of the worst-served by the marketing. The big-name towns (Byron, Coffs, Port Stephens) absorb most of the attention and most of the spend, and most of them are not worth the premium. The real value is in the bits between: a council reserve on a creek south of Nambucca, a rugby club car park at $5 a night, a national park camp where kangaroos walk through your fire, an unsigned headland walk at Lake Arragan where you have the rock platform to yourself. As a bonus, you can tick off one of Australia’s extreme points.

Eighteen days is the pace that lets you see those bits. Twelve days still works if you skip the rest days. Anything under that and you are back to driving the Pacific Highway, and the Pacific Highway is not the coast.

Top up the water at Maclean, pack proper mozzie repellent for Gumma, book Woody Head before you leave Brisbane and do not pay $9 for a flat white in Byron.

Safe travels, and we will see you out there.

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