7 New South Wales Road Trips That Will Take Your Breath Away

Whether you want to drive for a day or a week, there's a trip for everyone in this beautiful state.

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1. Sydney to Byron Bay

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The route: Sydney to Byron Bay.

The distance: 770 kilometres.

What to see and do: This road trip is one that can be taken in a day or really stretched out. If you're happy to prolong the drive with lots of stops, take a break at Bouddi National Park, Myall Lakes National Park, or Hat Head National Park to get some fresh air or spend a night camping by the water before you even reach Coffs Harbour.

If cute coastal towns make your heart sing, stop at Woolgoola for beach walks and weekend markets, or visit Red Rock, which has a population of 310 and an Aboriginal culture centre that is definitely worth a visit.

2. Snowy Valleys Way

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The route: Gundagai to Tumut, to Tumbarumba, to Corryong, to Beechworth. The full route, which edges into Victoria can be found right here.

The distance: Around 300km.

What to see and do: If you're into wine, schedule in a day and night in Tumbarumba. Sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, and pinot noir are the signature drops of this cool climate wine region, so get yourself to a cellar visit.

If you're happy to take a diversion along the way, turn off to Kosciuszko National Park, which is beyond stunning all year round.

3. The Grand Pacific Drive

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The route: Sydney to the Royal National Park, to Wollongong, to Kiama, to Nowra.

The distance: 140km.

What to see and do: Leave the city early in the morning and spend your day in the Royal National Park. There are many walking tracks of varying length and difficulty to choose from inside the park, and a swim or picnic at Wattamolla is a must.

Before you hit Wollongong, pull in to Austinmer for another swim and a meal at one of the area's cute cafés.

4. 100 Mile Diet

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The route: Lithgow to Orange, to Cowra, to Dubbo, to Mudgee.

The distance: Around 570km.

What to see and do: This road trip is all about the food and wine of regional NSW. While the Orange Wine Festival falls in October and Orange Food Week in March, the city is still an excellent place to eat and drink every day of the year.

To get a true taste of the country, take a tiny diversion on your way to Orange and visit the pretty town of Milthorpe. The Old Mill Café is famous for its homemade beef and shiraz pies - they will not disappoint.

Before you get to Mudgee and enjoy all the wine and cheese you could dream of, spend a night in Dubbo after visiting the Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

5. The Long Paddock

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The route: Moama to Deniliquin, to Hay, to Wilcannia. An in-depth route breakdown can be found here.

The distance: Around 600km.

What to see and do: This stretch of the Cobb Highway leads towards the outback towns Bourke and Broken Hill. The highway was named after the famous Cobb & Co. coaches that travelled Australia between the 1850s and 1920s.

Each year the Deni Ute Muster is held in Deniliquin on the Labour Day long weekend if you're after a country experience you'll never bloody forget.

6. Darling River Run

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The route: Walgett to Brewarrina, to Bourke, to Louth. More information on the exact route to take can be found here.

The distance: Around 1,000km.

What to see and do: This outback road trip is not an easy one, so a four-wheel drive is recommended. Give yourself six or seven days for this one, and make the most of this long drive along the Darling River. To get a history lesson about Outback Australia, head to the Back O' Bourke exhibition centre when you're, well, back 'o Bourke.

Towards the end of the road drop by Lake Mungo, which is home to the human remains known as Mungo Lady and Mungo Man who are thought to be 42,000 years old.

7. Waterfall Way

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The route: Coffs Harbour to Bellingen, to Dorrigo, to Egor, to Armidale.

The distance: 191km.

What to see and do: Take the Pacific Highway south from Coffs before turning inland onto Waterfall Way. This road trip is all about waterfalls so be sure to stop off at Dangar Falls, Ebor Falls, and Mihi Falls, which are all located inside Dorrigo National Park.

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