The top five NSW road trips for families

Nothing says ‘school holidays’ quite like a family road trip, writes Dilvin Yasa.

The road was long, dusty and filled with the kind of outback accommodation you have nightmares about, but our Sydney to Broken Hill adventure remains my daughters’ favourite holiday memory. It’s not surprising; whether it’s the family sing-a-longs, the endless pub parmigianas or the colourful characters you meet along the way, our collective love for road trips is enduring.

You don’t have to travel all the way to Broken Hill, of course (although I highly recommend it). Departing from Sydney, here are five other road trips that are fun for the whole family.

Central West: Sydney to Parkes

Who can say no to a road trip where fossicking for gemstones, driving around the Mt Panorama Motor Racing Circuit, wrestling livestock and hanging with shady versions of Elvis are as common as grabbing a servo sandwich?

Once you’ve driven through the windy roads of the Blue Mountains, you’ll find yourself in Bathurst, fertile gold mining territory and home of Australian motorsport. Around these parts, you can dig for gold and gemstones, visit wineries, go berry picking, indulge in decades-old ice-cream parlour, Annies, and basically exhaust the kids. Orange, too, provides more panning, picking and drinking opportunities (be sure to overnight if you’re committed to sampling the local drops).

Now Parkes is obviously famous for its annual Elvis Festival (to be held in April 2022), but stargazing at the CSIRO Parkes Observatory is a hit with kids all year round.

East Coast: Sydney to Byron Bay

At least one holiday driving up the Pacific Highway should feature in everybody’s childhood. The good news? Rather than fall back on the time-honoured ‘drive from dawn to reach destination by dinnertime’ approach, you can break up the journey so that the drive is as entertaining as the final destination.

Be sure to stop in at Terrigal where day trips can include a visit to the Australian Reptile Park and a swim/surf at Terrigal, McMasters Beach or at Avoca Lake before heading on towards Forster and Port Macquarie – the latter with its aqua park and koala hospital – serving as a nice, half-way point overnight destination.

Many choose to also stop in Bellingen, Yamba and Ballina along the way to Byron, just don’t miss Coffs Harbour. If it’s one thing we all know, you can’t do this drive without stopping at The Big Banana.

Sydney to Canberra

Kids love our nation’s capital like most adults love happy hour and why not? It’s got Questacon, the National Dinosaur Museum, Cockington Green Gardens and the Royal Australian Mint, for a start. While it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of other family friendly drives listed here, the three-hour
drive to Canberra can still be just as fun for kids and kidults alike.

Your first stop? Run everybody ragged at The Australian Botanic Garden Mt Annan before popping in for an award-winning pie (or sugary treat) at Gumnut Patisserie in Bowral. Don’t worry, you’ll get a chance to burn it off by either tackling one of the walking tracks by Fitzroy Falls in the Morton National Park, or by heading down the Hume Highway to photograph the Big Merino or walk a trail at Bungonia National Park.

Sydney to the Blue Mountains

Sure, the more ambitious among us might wish to tackle the Greater Blue Mountains Drive, an epic 1200km adventure that waves through Wollemi, Yengo, Gardens of Stone, Blue Mountains, Goulburn RIver and Abercrombie River, but we’re just going to say ‘drive to the Blue Mountains’ and leave it
there.

Many like to drive straight through to Katoomba for an opportunity to ride the scenic railway and/or cableway at Scenic World. Others like to meander through the quaint villages of Leura where kids of all ages will enjoy the Leuralla Toy and Railway Museum and Blackheath. It’s your call – just don’t miss a stop at Jenolan Caves or having a go at sapphire fossicking at Oberon.

Grand Pacific Drive

Not sure how your kid will go with a longer, multi-day road trip? The Grand Pacific Drive is a classic for a reason, and since it’s only three hours long, it’s a great way to get a handle on this family road tripping business.

Kicking off in the Royal National Park, the drive will take you through Wollongong and Shellharbour before heading south through Kiama and onto Shoalhaven. Keen to add a little more to the trip? The Southern Highlands towns of Bowral, Moss Vale and Berrima are an easy detour.

Whale watching, surfing, and family-favourite, Jamberoo, are all potential rest stop experiences.

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