Sydney to Byron Bay by campervan: the coastal route worth taking

Sydney's depot is at Caringbah, south of the city and close to the airport, which is the right side of town for a northbound trip only after you cross the city. Pick up early and be past the Harbour Tunnel before 7am, or take the M7 ring road around the west.

The first stop is Newcastle or, better, Port Stephens. Stockton Beach, the sand dunes and Nelson Bay are all within an hour of the highway and make a much better first night than a highway rest area.

Port Macquarie for the koala hospital and the coastal walk. Coffs Harbour for the soliatry of the Big Banana and, more usefully, the Jetty area and Muttonbird Island.

The detour worth making is Bellingen and Dorrigo. The waterfall way inland from Coffs climbs into world heritage rainforest and the Promised Land is a genuinely special campground. It costs you half a day and it is the best half day on the route.

Yamba is where the coast turns from working towns into holiday towns. Angourie, just south, has one of the best swimming spots in New South Wales — a blue pool fed by the ocean.

Then Ballina, Lennox Head and Byron. If you are arriving in Byron in the afternoon, go straight to a campground and walk in. Do not attempt to park a campervan in central Byron.

New South Wales has cracked down on free camping in beach car parks and residential streets, and the fines are substantial. Booderee National Park, Royal National Park and Murramarang all have campgrounds with fees — budget for them.

Holiday parks along this coast are good and busy. In school holidays, book ahead or you will be driving to the third town before you find a site.

This is a sealed-road coastal route with a couple of winding inland detours. A standard two-berth campervan is all you need. A van with a fridge makes the coastal humidity much easier — ice does not last long in northern New South Wales in summer.