Is It Worth Driving From Sydney To Brisbane?

Lily Kerley

May 19th, 2023

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5 minute read

In short, yes, it is absolutely worth doing a road trip from Sydney to Brisbane. If you stick to the coastline and stop at the many sunny, beachside towns along the way, there are ample National Parks and secluded beach strips for you to uncover. In fact, driving from Brisbane to Sydney is one of the best ways to explore Australia, as you have the ultimate freedom to go at your own pace and travel your own way!

The drive from Sydney to Brisbane is an excellent way to experience the wonders of the East Coast, with iconic destinations like Byron Bay and the Gold Coast on your route! Other hidden gems on your drive from Sydney to Brisbane include the Blue Mountains, the Hunter Valley, Port Stephens, Nambucca Heads, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Ballina and Stradbroke Island.

Is it easy to drive from Sydney to Brisbane?

With ample restaurants, bars, supermarkets, petrol stations and tours between Sydney and Brisbane, you can have an easy, worry-free holiday. If you’re more of a nature-lover than a party-goer, rest assured Australia’s East Coast offers abundant opportunities to discover quiet, local secrets like beachy towns and bush hikes. The stretch between Brisbane and Sydney really does strike the perfect balance between established convenience and non-touristy towns.

How long is the drive from Sydney to Brisbane?

To drive to Sydney from Brisbane, or to Brisbane from Sydney, takes about 11 to 13 hours depending on roadworks. The most beautiful route is undeniably along the coast, where surf, salt and sand adorn every landscape! If you take this route, you’ll total about 910 km, and play about 57.5 games of I Spy. This can be done in one or two weeks, depending on how many stops you want to do! 

However, the drive from Sydney to Brisbane might not be for you if you’re simply looking to get from A to B quickly. For this, we recommend catching a flight from Brisbane Airport to Sydney Airport; it only takes 2 hours if you fly!

Recommended Sydney to Brisbane road trip itinerary

Day 1 - 4: Sydney 

• Circular Quay & Sydney Harbour
• Bondi Beach
• Cronulla
• Manly

Check out our Sydney Arrival Package for central accommodation and day tours.

Day 5: Hunter Valley

• Wine Tour

Day 6: Blue Mountains 

• Guided hiking tour

Day 7: Newcastle

• Bars & restaurants

Day 8: Port Stephens

• Stockton Sand Dune surfing
• Tomaree Head Summit Walk

Day 9: Seal Rocks

• Boat’s Beach
• Sugarloaf Lighthouse

Day 10: Forster-Tuncurry

• One Mile Beach
• Bennett’s Head Lookout

Day 11: Port Macquarie

• Miner’s Beach Walking Track
• Nobby’s Beach

Day 12: Crescent Head

• National Surfing Reserve

Day 13: Nambucca Heads

• Main Beach
• V-wall walk

Day 14: Coffs Harbour

• Surf Club
• Jetty Beach

Day 15: Yamba

• Yamba Lighthouse
• Angourie Blue and Green Pools

Day 16 - 18: Byron Bay

• Byron Bay Main Beach, Lighthouse & Bars
• Byron Bay Farmers Markets
• Brunswick Heads River
• Nimbin

Day 19: Gold Coast

• Surfers Paradise
• Tallebudgerah

Day 20 & 21: Brisbane

• Stradbroke Island
• Southbank

This itinerary can be done in reverse from Brisbane southbound to Sydney, with longer or shorter stays wherever you would like!

Want to see further north? Check out our itineraries from Sydney to Cairns, or Cairns to Sydney and explore more of tropical Queensland!

As it is, this itinerary takes about three weeks, which is a generous amount of time to truly discover hidden gems. However, if you want to get it done in two, or even one week, we recommend going straight from Newcastle to Coffs Harbour, and from Coffs straight to Byron, shaving about a week off your trip.

To campervan, or to rental car?

For the Sydney to Brisbane journey, a campervan is such an excellent way to explore the East Coast. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to travel, chuck your surfboard in the back and explore with a van. You can hire a cheap rental, or if you’re in Australia for longer, you can even buy a second-hand van. Combining your accommodation, transport and kitchen will save you bucks and allow you to venture to remote destinations, wake up to beach sunrises and fall asleep under the stars!

However, if you want to rent a car and road trip with your mates, you can find ample hostels in beachy towns. There are also plenty of Greyhound buses that run along the East Coast which are perfect for seeing the sights, however, you might find it hard to get to smaller towns without your own car or van.

Pros of a campervan rental

• Cheaper than renting a car and staying at hostels

• Adventurous and authentic way to travel

• Beach views for free!

• Flexible travel, easier to stay overnight in quieter towns

Cons of a campervan rental 

• No toilet or shower usually

• Petrol prices fluctuate

• Finding free campsites can be difficult on the coast

• Camping in your van outside of a campsite is illegal (check out our guide to free vanlife for more tips!)

When should I drive from Sydney to Brisbane?

The drive from Sydney to Brisbane is glorious year-round, however, we recommend avoiding this road trip during the summer school holidays. For 2023, Queensland has school holidays from 9 December to 21 January, and New South Wales has school holidays from 20 December to 29 January. The traffic is pretty bad during these busy periods, and all towns are super booked and implement peak-season prices. However, travelling in spring is an amazing option, as it’s whale season and still warm and sunny. So, if you can, avoid December and January for your East Coast road trip, and instead opt for August, September and October!

For more information about weather and peak seasons, check out our article on when is the best time to travel the East Coast.

Want to learn more about road-tripping the East Coast? Check out our campervan guide to backpacking Down Under!

Or, design your own personalised Sydney to Brisbane trip with our DIY itinerary planner tool!