How to Tackle a Road Trip From Sydney to the Gold Coast | NRMA for Village Roadshow Theme Parks

21 May 2019 | 5 minute read

Sydney is the undisputed gateway to Australia, which is why it’s unsurprising that it receives more tourists than any other destination in the country and has the highest population of any other Australian city. But the adventurous will be pleased to know that there’s an entire coastline just begging to be explored to the north of Sydney – up to the Gold Coast and beyond.

So get some wheels and pack up the trunk – because it’s time to hit the road for a family-friendly holiday up Australia’s Pacific Coast. With nearly 1,000 kilometres of road ahead of you, there are plenty of spots to stretch your legs and regain your cool with a dip in the ocean, while the kids will be thrilled to be making the most of the great outdoors.

After a couple of hours on the M1 and paying close attention to the importance of ‘Stop, Revive Survive’ you’ll find yourself at the spot Novocastrians refer to as ‘Newie’ or Newcastle. Like its neighbour Sydney, it has a harbour, beaches and a rich colonial past - but with just over 10 percent of the population, it can all be enjoyed at a more leisurely pace. Take a short drive to Stockton Beach, where the 32km stretch of sand is made famous by dunes that tower up to 40m high. The beach is a magnet for 4WDs and quad bikes, while it’s not only kids who catch a thrill sand boarding down the dunes. Across the breakwater, you’ll find dog friendly Stockton Beach Holiday Park. Featuring camping and caravan sites and a large selection of two and three bedroom cabins, the holiday park maintains easy contact with the city via the Stockton ferry.

Two and a bit hours from Newcastle is the white, sandy beach town of Port Macquarie. Start your day off by picking fresh strawberries at Ricardoes Tomatos and Strawberries, where visitors are invited to pick their own produce. If the kids are itching for a bit of family fun, then take them along to see native animals at Billabong Koala and Wildlife Park, or take them for a ride on a camel along Lighthouse Beach. Budget-friendly accommodation can be found at NRMA Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park. The pet friendly holiday park offers tent and caravan sites as well as Bayside, Ocean View and Riverside cabins, a resort grade pool and a kids’ club during school holidays.

Perfectly positioned halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, Coffs Harbour offers an ideal blend of New South Wales country charm and laidback Queensland lifestyle. If you’re driving through and need a pit stop, the Big Banana is the undisputed number one choice for road trippers. The Coffs Harbour Fishermen’s Co-op has been on the foreshore since the 1950s and still serves the best seafood in town. There’s a full menu or pick out anything you like from the huge display and have them cook it for you. If you’re looking for a place to stay to catch some shut eye, than the stylish four star NRMA Darlington Beach Holiday Resort, 25 minutes north of Coffs Harbour is your best option. With a huge range of facilities: two swimming pools, a spa, two giant jumping pillows, BMX bike track, two tennis courts, a nine hole golf course, slides, games area and more. Plus, the fully licensed Ponds Cafe is open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or you can grab a quick snack from the kiosk.

It’s hard not to make a pit-stop and relax in one of Australia’s most laidback towns. Experience the unmistakable vibe, and stunning beauty, Byron Bay. Your first stop should be The Farm Byron Bay, home to Three Blue Ducks restaurant and produce store. Dine in for a lunch of pork rack, beetroot and stone fruit sauce (there’s even a “Ducklings” menu for the kids), pick up picnic supplies and head for the fields for some quality family time. If you and the kids want to see marine life up close, then join a Dolphin Kayak Tour with Go Sea Kayaks, owned and operated by local champion surf lifesaver Kurt Tutt. If you want to be at the centre of the action, Byron Bay Hotel and Apartments invites you to join them and live like a local. Just a 150m hop, skip and jump to Main Beach, and surrounded by cafes, restaurants and fashion boutiques, the stylish property offers a range of accommodation options, including King hotel-style rooms to spacious one, two, or three bedroom apartments equipped with all the necessities a family needs on their travels.

Another 60 minute drive brings you across the border and into Surfers Paradise, the heart of the Gold Coast. With 57km of beach stretching like a ribbon along the shore, you're going to want to celebrate your arrival with a swim. Over dinner - perhaps woodfired pizza at Justin Lane in Burleigh Heads, or sushi and tempura at Mermaid Beach's lively Etsu Izakaya - you can plan which Gold Coast theme park you'll tackle first tomorrow, choose between Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World or Wet'n'Wild. To be right in the thick of it all, Sea World Resort and the NRMA Treasure Island Holiday Resort, offer easy access to the area's beaches and theme parks, and have a range of accommodation from family suites to villas

Alternatively, escape the city with a Paradise Country Farmstay experience allowing you the complete camping adventure in the peaceful surroundings including full access to Paradise Country and Farmstay activities.