Sydney to Tamworth road trip: 7 must-see scenic stops

Escape the city and explore country NSW on this Sydney to Tamworth road trip. Hit all the highlights, including The Blue Mountains, Mudgee, the Warrumbungles and the Big Golden Guitar!

Use this 5-day guide when planning your Sydney to Tamworth road trip. It can be modified to suit the exact number of days you have available and also includes all the best attractions and camping spots. Plus, we’ve thrown in a heap of extra information like drive time, distance, the best season to travel and much more!

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Sydney to Tamworth road trip: 7 places you can’t miss

Total Distance: 1,300 km | Recommended duration: 3 - 7 days | Best Time to Visit: Between April and September | Route on Google Maps

1. Sydney and the Blue Mountains

Start your road trip to Tamworth by picking up your campervan hire in Sydney and exploring the local sights and attractions. In particular, we recommend winding your way up into the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park!

Grab a bakery breakfast in the pretty little town of Leura , famous for its magnificent garden displays and historic homes. Chow down on your sausage roll at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area before walking it off with an easy 1-hour stroll around the Leura Cascades Fern Bower Circuit.

Pay a visit to Scenic World , where you can ride the steepest railway in the world, float 270m above the ground in the scenic cable car or descend 545m into the valley below via cableway. This is the most unique way to see iconic sights like the Three Sisters and Katoomba Falls.

End your day with a packed picnic at Govetts Leap Lookout, which provides a birds-eye view of the ginormous Grose Valley. It’s also the starting point for several easy walking trails, such as the Fairfax Heritage Walking Track (3.6km return).

Stay at the Katoomba Falls Tourist Park, which is conveniently located right in the heart of the Blue Mountains and offers modern amenities.

2. Mudgee

Descend the other side of the Blue Mountains and continue your Sydney to Tamworth road trip toward Mudgee - a small country town with a big reputation.

Along the way, stop at the Gardens of Stone National Park, another World Heritage area famed for its collection of cliffs, pagodas, canyons and breathtaking views.

Once you arrive in Mudgee, waste no time before checking out the vineyards and restaurants that make this place world famous. Take a tour of the wineries responsible for producing award-winning Sauvignon Blanc and book a table at renowned eateries like the Pipeclay Pumphouse or The Zin House.

When leaving Mudgee for your next destination, be sure to stop at the Drip Walking Track (2.8km). This one-hour walk follows the Goulburn River to the Great Dripping Wall, where clear rainwater trickles through the stone surface.

Stay at the Mudgee Riverside Caravan and Tourist Park, which is centrally located in the heart of town and offers a range of shady riverside campsites.

3. Warrumbungle National Park

One of the most exciting stops on this Sydney to Tamworth road trip is Warrumbungle National Park - Australia’s only Dark Sky Park (recognised for its clear skies and exceptional stargazing).

But before you settle in for a cosy night of star-gazing, venture up the Breadknife and Grand High Tops walk (14.5km loop). This trek takes about 5 - 6 hours, but it is considered one of the most scenic trails in NSW and offers close-up views of the volcanic formations that make this park famous.

If you’d prefer an easier option, the Burbie Canyon walking trail (2km return) takes only 30 min - 1 hour. This track passes through a sandstone gorge and provides the opportunity to see peregrine falcons nesting in the rock face.

Stay at Camp Blackman, which offers powered sites and awesome facilities, including an amenities block, hot showers, barbecues and more.

4. Mount Kaputar National Park

Leave the Warrumbungles behind and head toward Pilliga National Park - an ancient forest surrounded by stunning sandstone gorges.

The best way to see the park is via the Sculptures in the Scrub walking track (3km return), which takes about 2 hours. As you walk the track, you will discover sculptures created by local Aboriginal Elders and young artists, each telling a story of local Aboriginal history and culture.

Within Pilliga National Park, it’s also worth visiting the Salt Caves (an easy 50m walk from the car park). You can venture up to 20m inside of the caves, which are historic Aboriginal sites that were used as a traditional shelter by the Gamilaroi people.

Stop for lunch in Narrabri before continuing to Kaputar National Park. Set amongst the Nandewar Ranges, the easiest way to see all the highlights is via the Kaputar Scenic Drive (20km one-way).

Along the way, stretch your legs on the Sawn Rocks Walking Track (1.5km return). This easy 30-minute walk leads you to a distinctive rock formation that looks like a wall of giant organ pipes. Afterwards, try the Mount Kaputar Summit Walk (2km) and watch the sunset from the panoramic lookout.

Stay at Dawsons Spring campground, which is the starting point for the Summit Walk and offers great facilities such as an amenities block, picnic tables and barbecues.

5. Tamworth

Finally, you’ll reach the Country Capital of Australia - Tamworth. This town is famous for hosting the second-largest country music event in the world (held annually in mid to late January). It was also the first town in Australia to get electric street lights in 1888!

But before you reach Tamworth, detour via the Boonalla Cave and take the short but scenic 850m (return) walk. Boonalla Cave is one of the few known roosts for eastern cave bats in NSW. It is also a historical site , where archeologists have unearthed over 500 ancient Aboriginal artefacts.

You’ll know you’ve reached Tamworth when you see the Big Golden Guitar , standing at 12m tall and weighing half a tonne! At its base are the National Guitar Museum and the Country Music Wax Museum , where you can see a collection of famous guitars and wax figures of iconic country singers.

Just down the road is the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame , which itself is shaped like a guitar when viewed from the air. Country music fans can pay homage to Australian artists and peruse costumes, photographs, instruments, gold LPs, personal effects and much more.

If you have a few days to spare in Tamworth, it’s worth venturing out to some of the regional attractions like Oxley Wild Rivers National Park or Cathedral Rock National Park. This area forms part of the Gondwana Rainforest World Heritage Area and is home to some of the best NSW road trips (like the Waterfall Way)!

Stay at Paradise Tourist Park, which offers powered campsites close to the centre of Tamworth and is a starting point for the River Walk along the Peel River.

Don’t want to return to Sydney? Consider reversing this Brisbane to New England road trip!

6. Hunter Valley

Before returning from your Sydney to Tamworth road trip, why not spend a day delighting in the delicacies of the Hunter Valley?

Stop over in the town of Muswellbrook, which sits tucked away in the rolling hills of the Upper Hunter. Whilst there, try an olive oil tasting session at Pukara Estate or test the gourmet cheeses at Hunter Belle Cheese.

Continue to the Hunter Valley’s major tourist towns such as Pokolbin, Broke and Wollombi, where you can tour over 150 wineries and cellar doors in the area to sample some of the world's best Semillon and Shiraz.

Stay at the Wine Country Tourist Park Hunter Valley, a small family-owned park where you can hire push bikes and ride around the nearby vineyards.

7. Return to Sydney

It’s time to bring your Sydney to Tamworth road trip to an end. But don’t worry, the fun isn’t over yet!

Drop by Yengo National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Be sure to take on the Shepherds Gully Circuit (3.1km loop), a 1 - 2 hour walk that takes you along historic roads and through scenic rainforest.

Alternatively, take on the shorter Finchley Cultural Walk (1km return), which only takes 30 minutes. Along the way, you’ll learn about ancient Aboriginal stories from well-preserved rock art and engravings.

After leaving Yengo National Park, it’s only a 2-hour drive back to Sydney.

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