When heading to Newcastle from Sydney, many people hit the freeway and get there as fast as possible.
While that might be ideal if you’re driving to Newcastle for a weekend getaway, it means you miss out on a lot of beautiful scenery.
Another option is to turn the journey into a road trip by taking a few detours along the way. Here’s how to do just that.
STOP ONE: BEROWRA
Drive 40 minutes north of Sydney along the M2 and the M1, then take the left turn-off to Berowra.
Perched on the Berowra Creek – a tributary of the Hawkesbury River – it’s a small town surrounded by the national park.
Enjoy stunning views from Barnetts Lookout, picnic by the creek and, if you’ve time, jump in a boat and have lunch on absolute waterfront at Berowra Waters Inn.
STOP TWO: BROKEN BAY PEARL FARM
In another 20 minutes, you’ll cross the mighty Hawkesbury, and, on the northern shore, you’ll find Broken Bay Pearl Farm.
Here, you can join a one-hour cruise along the river to the farm’s “saltwater paddocks”. Along the way, you’ll learn about how oysters are farmed and find out why the Hawkesbury is ideal for growing them.
If you’ve time up your sleeve, you can add an extra experience or three to your cruise, be it oyster tasting, pearl grading or discovering the secrets of pearling.
STOP THREE: AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK
Continue along the M1 for another 20 minutes before turning off to the Australian Reptile Park.
More than 2,000 animals call it home – from American alligators to freshwater crocodiles to Galapagos tortoises.
And they’re not all reptiles. There are wombats, kangaroos, koalas, frogs, spiders, owls, kookaburras and much more.
To make your visit even more special, add an experience, such as meeting a dingo puppy, taking a photo with a koala or attending a snake safety seminar.
STOP FOUR: TREETOPS ADVENTURE CENTRAL COAST
Break up the drive with an adrenaline hit at Treetops Adventure Central Coast, which is another 20 minutes up the freeway.
Situated among giant eucalypts in Ourimbah State Forest, it gives you three challenges to tackle: a 500-metre-long zipline, a series of tree ropes courses and a trampoline park.
Guided climbs for children aged 8-12 are available during school holidays and on some weekends.
STOP FIVE: TORONTO, LAKE MACQUARIE
There are two ways to get to Toronto on the shores of Lake Macquarie, which is a 40-minute drive north. You can continue up the freeway, then turn onto Cessnock Road. Or you can take the B53 towards Morriset, then follow the lake’s western shore.
Either way, Toronto offers a bunch of waterside adventures. Get started with a stroll along the shared pathway to Fassifern Railway Station, where you’ll come across a petrified forest formed 250 million years ago by a volcano.
Dig deeper into history at the Museum of Art and Culture, where there’s a significant collection of works by Aboriginal artists, as well as several pieces by Sir William Dobell (who won the Archibald Prize three times) and a fascinating sculpture garden.
After another 30 minutes on the road, you’ll be in Newcastle, where you’ll have a host of experiences to choose from – including some you might not expect.
GETTING TO NEWCASTLE
To road trip in style and comfort, hire a car at one of SIXT’s many branches across Sydney.
We offer one-way hire, so you could drop off your vehicle at one of our offices in Newcastle – you’ll find us at Williamtown Airport Newcastle, and in Beresfield and Charlestown.
