an alternative Sydney to Byron Bay road trip itinerary

Do you follow the crowd? Or do you like to try somewhere different? Somewhere authentic, somewhere special, somewhere less well-trodden.

The Sydney to Byron Bay road trip is one of Australia’s most iconic and well travelled tourist routes.  A backpacker’s rite of passage and part of the East Coast Aussie dream.  Yet, there is a lack of unique and lesser-known routes documented for the Sydney to Byron Bay road trip.  The same standard itinerary is written about over and over.

We were keen to explore more than the already tried and tested towns.  To venture further than popular Newcastle, Forster, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Yamba.  In the quest for an alternative route, we took our time searching for lesser-known places.  Rewarded with variety and the richness of local communities we highly recommend looking further than the well-known Sydney to Byron Bay road trip route.  Eat the best oysters in Karuah, fall in love with legend Isabella Mary Kelly in Wingham and learn the Ukulele in Sawtell. Weaving in and out of The Pacific Highway here is our alternative trip.

Leg 1, Sydney to Byron Bay road trip:  Sydney – Karuah (2.5 hrs)

Forget the well-known towns of the Central Coast, Karuah is my pick for lunch on day one.  Thought to mean native plum tree in Aboriginal the small quiet town sits beside the Karuah River.  The by-pass built in 2005 has turned this town into a peaceful relaxing retreat.

Head to Longworth Park and don’t forget your togs (that’s a swimming costume for you non-Aussies) for a swim in the tidal pool.  Lunch options include a small bakery and a couple of cafes in town.  Although, my suggestion is a picnic.  A short wander upstream you’ll come across Farley’s Oyster Farm.  Visiting this place is an experience in itself.  Salty air fills your nostrils as Richard talks through the oyster farming process.  Did you know that an oyster takes 4 years to harvest?  You’ll need to know how to open them.  Have a blunt knife at the ready as you can only buy them closed. Purchase some local bubbles, bread and lemons and you have yourself a lunch of champions.

In love with and proud of its oysters Karuah has its very own Oyster and Timer Festival.  You can compete in oyster-eating competitions or turn your hand at wood chopping.  With lots of other activities plus food and market stalls, I have a feeling we’ll be back for this one year.

Around Karuah

The surrounding area has enough to keep you occupied for a few days. If you have time to stay awhile, I’d recommend it. Steeped in history, neighbouring small towns are worth exploring.  Learn about wealthy settlers and how livestock was key to emerging economies.  I love reading books that connect me with a place. So, if you’re looking for a book to complement your journey I recommend A Room Made of Leaves.  A fiction laced with a lot of facts about John Macarthur the famous wool baron in the early days of NSW settlement.

Leg 2, Sydney to Byron Bay road trip:  Karuah to Old Bar or Wingham (1.5 hrs)

Instead of leaving the highway to visit the well-known Forster, keep driving.  45 minutes up the highway you’ll come to Old Bar.  Feel the pace slow as you hit the outskirts of town.  This is Kombi country and home to the annual Old Bar Beach & Kombi festival.  October long weekend draws in the crowds where VW camper lovers parade their pride and joys down the main road from the beach to town.

This is a classic Aussie surf town with a laid-back atmosphere similar to Byron Bay 20 years ago.  A happy place where even the power poles and benches are cheerful.  Painted in bright colours this community initiative brightens even the dullest day.  Old Bar boasts the only double delta river in the southern hemisphere (Yes, I’m a geographer’s daughter!).  Plus, the only multiple entrance river in the world other than the Nile.  As you can imagine, there are plenty of swimming, surfing and finishing spots.

As the sun sets there is no better place to enjoy sundowners than Flow Bar (also pretty spectacular for coffee and breakfast!).  

A combination of hotel, restaurant, bar and live music venue, this place is hard to describe but one not to pass by. In fact, go to Old Bar if only to visit this place.  The experience is worth the trip itself. This is the unique vision of Steve Doessel, created in 2014 to escape corporate life.  It gave him the richness of tucking his son into bed each night and us the luxury of a hotel stay like no other.  It radiates a vibe that you’ll be hard pushed to find anywhere else up the coast.  I’d encourage you to spend some time here and if you can, stay the night.  You’re in for a treat.

We stayed at Club Old Bar Motel and ate at Sai Thai both of which I would recommend.  Sai Thai is not licensed so remember your BYO alcohol.  There’s a friendly bottle shop across the road.

Wingham

Another less conventional option is to stop at Wingham.  Built around a central park, not quite New York style, this historic town is 18 minutes off the highway.  We visited on the recommendation of friends who had enjoyed the bat walk, museum, and great coffee!  We visited after the March 2021 floods when the riverbanks looked sorrowful.  Although water levels were down evidence of how severe the flooding had been was obvious.  Debris littered the banks with many paths and roads cordoned off.  A town in obvious recovery which meant there were restrictions on where we could explore.  This didn’t stop the personality of Wingham screaming through though.  I fell in love with this valiant and resilient country town.

It’s the people and their stories that connect me to a place.  And the story of Isabella Mary Kelly grasped my attention immediately and has carved a Wingham-shaped place in my heart.  As a bit of a self-confessed feminist, I fell for this captivating single female who was a settler in her own right. An independent woman who arrived from England with her own wealth.  A woman who bucked the trend of a disapproving society to become a skilled breeder and handler of horses.  She’s even got a book written about her The Trials of Isabella Mary Kelly: Her Legend and the Truth.

We stayed at The Bank Guest House.  Ate and drank well at The Australian and enjoyed coffee and lunch at Bent on Food.  I would recommend all as excellent choices.

Leg 3, Sydney to Byron Bay road trip: Old Bar or Wingham to Gladstone or Hat Head (1.5 hrs)

Recommended by a friend, we took a day trip to Hat Head from South West Rocks.  What a spot.  Straddling the Pacific Ocean and Korogoro Creek this is a slither of paradise.  Buried deep within Hat Head National Park you’ll come to what feels like the end of the world. A sandy path winds through the tropical rainforest from the car park to the beach.  At the end of which, to the right are the calm and clear waters of a lagoon.  And to the left a lively surf beach stretching far north.  Hat Head has a General Store and a Bowlo (including bar and restaurant).  Accommodation options are either camping or a holiday let.

Along the road towards the end of the headland keep your eyes open for a homemade beef jerky sign, sold out of a friendly local’s garage.  It is the best beef jerky I’ve eaten in my life!  Amongst scrumptious homemade jams and chutneys, you’ll also find other random treasures!  Boasting incredible surf beaches, sand dunes, rainforest, and wetlands why would you leave?  I could have spent a week here.

Galdtone

A little further inland and a short 20-minute drive from Hat head and only 5 km off the highway is Gladstone.   Settled on the Macleay River the one road in is littered with signs selling free-range eggs, potkins, and cucumbers.  The moment we arrived I had a good feeling.  One of riverside calmness, creativity and history.  It’s unsurprising that this place is listed as a ‘Creative Community’ on the Mid North Coast Arts Trail.  The streets are wide offering a sense of space.  There’s a handful of small shops selling gifts, homeware, and clothes.  A boutique hotel where we ate lunch and would recommend.  A stunning boutique hotel and high-end restaurant and an art gallery.  Try coinciding your trip with the 3rd Sunday of every month. The Gladstone Quality Markets take place along the riverbank from 9am to 2pm.

Leg 4, Sydney to Byron Bay road trip: Gladstone or Hat Head to Bowraville or Sawtell (1 hr)

OK, indulge me in sharing a story before we get back on track, it’s relevant I promise.  Back in 2017, I ordered an Uber to take me to work as I had missed the bus.  As is often the way with Uber drivers we chatted all the way.  We shared stories about passions and dreams, macrame and travel.

Fast forward the clock to 2021 and a Women In Tourism Australia discussion on socials.  I felt like I had met the lady I was talking to before.  Yet, this time she was selling the dream of visiting Bowraville rather than driving Uber. It couldn’t be could it?  Only one way to find out and that was to ask.  It seems it is a small world after all.  Gaille (my Uber driver all those years ago) had moved to Bowraville.  She was now working on marketing this small town as a tourism destination.  The universe was guiding us to visit.  So, we did.

On route, we stopped off at the well-known Nambucca Heads.  The views from the many lookouts are well worth grabbing a coffee and enjoying.  17 km inland was our destination of Bowraville and from the moment we stepped out of the car we felt welcome. 

Bowraville

This is a genuine small Aussie country town with a big personality.  Charming original veranda-styled shopfronts and cottages line the high street.  Bowraville boasts a chocolate shop, museum and theatre.  I mean who doesn’t need a chocolate shop!  

The museum is a proud collection of local history well worth a visit.  We stepped back in time for a whole morning. Mesmerised by the old machinery and imagining how hard life must have been and how easy we have.  After an educational few hours, it was time to retire to the RSL for a schooner of Coopers.  After searching some quirky yet more isolated accomodation options we decided to stay at the local pub. We’ve stayed in a few local country pubs on our Aussie travels. Some of which are so questionable they do not make it into my recommendations. 

My mission to minimise tourism leakage is one thing but that needn’t be at the compromise of hospitality. Cleanliness and quality of product and service are key.  I am excited to share that The Bowra Hotel was different.  The best value four-poster bed I’ve ever slept in.  The room was clean, welcoming, and comforting.  A door led out onto the veranda overlooking the main street and out towards the woods.  Breakfast was included in the price and the bathrooms although shared were clean.  Impressed with the accommodation, the authentic pub grub was also a hit.  Considering it was a Wednesday night this authentic Aussie local was heaving.  Full of all types of characters, people watching was firmly on the menu.  Families, groups of mates, singles, locals, travellers. A melting pot of human interaction where stories are shared over schooners and schnitzels.

Sawtell

One of Australia’s first big things, ‘The Big Banana’ has drawn in the Sydney to Byron road trip crowds for years.  Sure, if you are desperate for a picture in front of the huge yellow piece of fruit then stop.  It’s accessible from the main highway route.

Other than The Big Banana I think Coffs Harbour is well substituted by quieter Sawtell.  This magical seaside town where bushland meets the ocean is a must-stop on the Sydney to Byron Bay route.  Take in a deep breath and let this spirited town elevate any road trip anxiety.  With a number of locally owned cafes and boutique shops strewn along First Avenue, it’s a moocher’s heaven!

Stretching 2km, Sawtell Beach curves in from Bonville Headland in the South to Boambee Head in the North.  Both headlands offer stunning panoramic views from lookouts.  This place is perfect for lunch and an afternoon stretch of the legs or a week-long stay!  For something slightly different but that will immerse you into the true community of Sawtell why not turn your hand to a Ukulele lesson.

Uko Ono

Steph has run Uko Ono in 2016 and has since been offering Uke lessons by the sea.  As a passionate believer in the power and healing force of music she’s taught hundreds of people to play the Ukulele.  If you’ve never played before then you are in luck as Steph’s specialty is ‘Absolute Beginners’ and often have students playing the ukulele by the end of the session.

And if you like to think of yourself as more of a pro then why not meet friends with the same passion.  Asked to play at the Elton John Farewell Tour in Coffs 2020 The Sawtell Ukulele Group have been playing together since 2016.  These local legends from all walks of life practice every Monday night at the Sawtell Surf Club, everyone is welcome.

A party vibe

Throughout the summer the party vibe turns up a notch with regular street parties arranged by the Chamber of Commerce.  Every second Thursday of the month First Avenue closes to traffic.  The iconic fig-lined street is transformed into a wonderful street party and celebration of the local community.

It’s not just throughout the summer that Sawtell knows how to have a good time.  I’ve never been but I’ve been told by locals a fun time to visit Sawtell is for July Chillifest.  Turn up the heat by sampling the wide range of chili-related foods and products at this fun packed day festival.  The day is jam-packed with music, dancing, cooking, street performances, and of course a chilli eating competition.

A coastal favourite with locals is Boambee Creek, head here for the day or just a few hours.  There is something for everyone here.  A children’s playground, SUP and kayak hire, picnic and BBQs, areas perfect for fishing and swimming spots.  There’s plenty of shade and a lovely walk over the railway bridge.

Leg 5, Sydney to Byron Bay road trip:  Bowraville or Sawtell to Maclean (2hr)

Hang on, I’m in Scotland….. no, definitely still in NSW, Australia!  As an alternative to the common Yamba stop, we stumbled across Maclean.  Built on the banks of the Clarence River Maclean is an ideal place to stop for coffee and stretch the legs.  The walkway follows the river and if you’ve plenty of energy head up Wharf Street to MacLean lookout.  Panoramic views stretch over the town and broader Clarence Valley.

Around town over 200 power poles are painted tartan with their own clan name.  Think haggis and kilts the Tourist Information Centre is all things Scottish. Maclean Bicentennial Museum is also worth a visit, offering up the Scottish story of the town if there is one!  Pop in and see for yourself.  This Aussie Scottish town also hosts the annual Highland Gathering each Easter. 

Leg 6, Sydney to Byron Bay road trip:  Maclean to Byron Bay (1.5 hr)

You’re on the last leg but time for one last stop before reaching Byron Bay.  Newrybar is only minutes off the highway and although only small the place holds a special place in my heart.  A beautiful collection of artisan shops and the award-winning Harvest a restaurant, a delicious deli and incredible bakery. It’s a stylish one-street town located in the rolling hinterland that is a must-visit.  To be honest, my preference is to stop here and never get to Byron!

In my blog post Has ‘The Bay’ lost its Byron Feeling I share why I wouldn’t rush to stay in central Byron Bay again.  Newrybar is an exceptional alternative.  Stay in this relaxed super cute village and immerse yourself in local community life.