Ready to go: EV-friendly NSW road trips

Make memories, not emissions, when you roam across New South Wales in an electric vehicle. Here are nine curated road trips that are equal parts spectacular and EV-friendly. Wherever you roam across the state in your own EV or a rental, you can also locate the nearest charger with this handy NSW EV Road Trip map. 

Waves and wine: Newcastle to the Hunter Valley via the Central Coast

Take a Central Coast and Hunter Valley Road Trip north of Sydney and you’ll enjoy a scenic drive from the happening port city of Newcastle, cruising the ocean side of Lake Macquarie and the sandy beaches of the Central Coast before motoring up the highway to Hunter Valley, the oldest wine region in Australia. 

Start your journey in Newcastle, uncovering the city’s industrial past and creative future on a walking tour with Newcastle Afoot or taking in the natural beauty of the coastline on an Adventure Tour cruise with CoastXP. 

Soak up the sunshine and ocean views over lunch at Merewether Surfhouse before driving south to your stay for the night, Caves Coastal Bar and Bungalows at Lake Macquarie’s Caves Beach. Top up the battery at one of the four charging stations here before heading south the next day. 

Wander around the Central Coast’s historic Norah Head Lighthouse, plunge into the surf at Terrigal Beach or tackle the awesome Bouddi Coastal Walk in Bouddi National Park. Recharge body and car at the chic boutique hotel Bells at Killcare near Bouddi National Park. Or strap in for the drive to the Hunter Valley, which is dotted with a host of EV-friendly stays and cellar doors where you can charge while you taste the region’s famed semillon and shiraz, like Tamburlaine Organic Wines and Keith Tulloch Wine.

Northern odyssey: Lake Macquarie to Tweed Heads 

The name of this epic road trip – the Legendary Pacific Coast – says it all. You’ll travel along the Pacific Highway from Lake Macquarie to the northern border town of Tweed Heads, tracing the Pacific Ocean coastline for more than 800 kilometres (over 500 miles). 

Swan up the motorway from Sydney to Swansea, where Lake Macquarie meets the ocean, to begin your journey, heading straight onto the seawater lake in one of Lake Macquarie Kayak Adventures’ kayaks featuring a clear Perspex floor.

Follow the coast to Newcastle and get to know this rapidly evolving city, dining at one of the cafés and restaurants on the Honeysuckle Foreshore promenade. 

Then take your time exploring the towns awaiting to the north: Port Stephens, where you can meet koalas and echidnas at ECO-certified Oakvale Wildlife Park; Port Macquarie, home to the new wild koala breeding centre Guulabaa – Place of Koala; South West Rocks, where you can work up a sweat hiking the Smoky Cape Walking Track; and the mid North Coast hub of Coffs Harbour, where you can paddle through a marine park with ECO-certified Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours.

The landscape turns more lush by the minute as you approach Byron Bay, where you can rub shoulders with celebrities and bronzed surfers alike. Between Byron and Tweed Heads, less than an hour’s drive away, there’s a smorgasbord of Northern Rivers attractions to explore. 

Among the gum trees: The Blue Mountains 

Immerse in millions of hectares of natural beauty in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed wilderness area of the Blue Mountains on the Greater Blue Mountains Drive. You’ll reach the foothills of the eucalyptus oil-scented mountains within an hour of setting out from Sydney – make your first stop the compact town of Leura, where inviting cafés line the steep main street. 

Check into the nearby Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains MGallery and lace up your hiking boots to walk a section of the spectacular Grand Cliff Top Walk – the trail runs through the grounds of the resort on its way to Wentworth Falls. 

Wander the wide main street of Katoomba, the largest town in the mountains, before taking a guided e-bike tour with Blue Mountains Biking Adventures or gliding in a cable car above Megalong Valley with Scenic World Blue Mountains – both operators are ECO-certified.

Descend into Megalong Valley to sip wine and nibble on cheese at the stunning Dryridge Estate vineyard before heading back up to Blackheath to dine on Mediterranean-inspired wood-fired fare at Ates. 

Bed down at the Fairmont, with its two charging stations, or at the grand Hydro Majestic Hotel Blue Mountains at nearby Medlow Bath, before making your way back to Sydney via Bilpin, stopping for a hearty lunch at Bilpin Cider Co or Hillbilly Cider Shed.

Coastal cruise: Royal National Park to the Shoalhaven

Slide on your sunglasses and follow the Grand Pacific Drive as it winds down the dramatic coastline from the Royal National Park, below a soaring escarpment and past surf beaches to the South Coast resort town of Kiama and beyond to the sheltered waters of picture-perfect Jervis Bay. 

Pause your playlist and listen for the sound of waves breaking below as you glide along the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge between the Royal National Park and the beachside city of Wollongong. Stretch your legs and walk a section of the bridge, and linger over lunch at a café in a pretty beachside town like Austinmer or Thirroul. 

Rejoin the Princes Highway south of Wollongong to discover a seemingly endless string of tiny beachside towns as well as major hubs like Kiama – home to more surf beaches and the famous Kiama Blowhole. 

Pop into towns and villages like Gerringong or Gerroa for coffee and a bite to eat before checking in to your luxe suite and plugging in your car at Bangalay Luxury Villas in Shoalhaven Heads. Begin the next day with a long walk along Seven Mile Beach – the southern end of the beach is a few steps from your room – before you continue your leisurely journey to beautiful Jervis Bay.

Way down south: Sydney to Melbourne via the South Coast

If you like the sound of the Grand Pacific Drive, you’ll love the Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive, which includes the Sydney to Jervis Bay route and follows the Princes Highway all the way to NSW’s southern border and beyond. 

Check out of your accommodation in the Jervis Bay town of Huskisson in time to join a morning sea kayaking expedition with ECO-certified Sea Kayak Jervis Bay. Let the buzz of spotting resident dolphins, seals and stingrays propel you as you make your way south. 

Grab coffee in the picturesque town of Milton, and time your arrival at Cupitt's Estate outside of Milton for a long lunch at the winery’s acclaimed restaurant. Stop in for the night at the nearby Mollymook, where Bannisters by the Sea and its sister property Bannisters Pavilion both have a charging station, and where a sublime seafood dinner awaits at Rick Stein at Bannisters Mollymook.

Work up an appetite with a morning swim at Mollymook Beach before continuing south towards Batemans Bay to feast on fresh oysters. Seek out The Farm Gate and Oyster Shed on Wray Street on the banks of the Clyde River for a tantalising taste of what’s to come later on the Sapphire Coast Oyster Trail, which stretches all the way from Tathra to Wonboyn, south of Eden near the state border.

Sandstone and sandy beaches: Southern Highlands to the South Coast

Vineyards, rugged bushland, historical towns and beaches: the Southern Highlands to the South Coast Road Trip has it all. Heading southwest from Sydney, leave the motorway for country roads, stopping in the heritage village of Picton to admire the sandstone 1860s Stonequarry Creek Railway Viaduct. 

Then make your way to the Southern Highlands, a favourite daytrip destination for Sydneysiders, to explore wineries and fine-dining restaurants. Indulge in a long lunch at Bendooley Estate in Berrima or at one of the many great cafés in Bowral. 

Burn some calories on a bushwalk in Fitzroy Falls in Morton National Park, drive over the heritage Hampden Bridge in Kangaroo Valley on your way to Bundanon, a striking art museum and wildlife sanctuary on 1,000 hectares of bushland. 

Top up your battery at one of Bundanon’s four charging stations before taking the winding mountain roads down to the charming town of Berry, pulling over to taste wine at Silos Estate before rejoining the Grand Pacific Drive as you make your way back to Sydney – perhaps stopping in Kiama for burgers or a salad at local favourite Hungry Monkey.

Off the beaten track: exploring the Southern Tablelands 

With pristine waterways, dramatic national parks straddling the western fringe of the Great Dividing Range and welcoming villages, a Southern Tablelands Road Trip makes for an unforgettable journey. 

Leave the Hume Highway behind and follow the Highland Way to the quiet village of Tallong. Stop in for a coffee or a meal at The Midge Tallong before taking in the view of Shoalhaven River from Badgery's Lookout. 

On the other side of the Hume, step back in time in Marulan, where the self-guided Marulan Historic Meander reveals the village’s colourful past as a bushranger lair. Ramble along country roads to Bungonia National Park, known as the adventure capital of the region for its great caving and canyoning spots.

Then settle in for the pleasant drive to Goulburn, Australia’s first inland city, where you can top up your battery while getting the lowdown on attractions at Goulburn Visitor Information Centre. Need to leave your EV plugged in for a while? Go for a stroll on the Mulwaree River Walkway – one of the two Goulburn River Walkways – which can join on the other side of the train tracks from the information centre. 

Open roads and full bellies: Yass Valley to Jugiong 

Pack a picnic rug for a Classic Country Road Trip through the southwest of the state, eating your way from the Canberra District wine region to the cherry capital of Australia and the Riverina, the country’s food bowl. 

Begin your epicurean escape in the Yass Valley, the heart of the cool-climate Canberra wine region. Set out from Sydney in the morning and you’ll arrive at Grazing Restaurant in Gundaroo in time for a lunch to remember (Thursday to Sunday). 

Sample single-parcel shiraz viogniers at Clonakilla Wines and sublime shiraz at Four Winds Vineyard in Murrumbateman and drop into Hilltops wine region cellar doors dotted around the twin towns of Harden and Murrumburrah.

Come in spring to feast on fruit in Young, a 25-minute drive from Murrumburrah – buy a box of cherries in season at Valley Fresh or sun-ripened stone fruit at Ballinaclash Orchard and Cellar Door. 

Spend days exploring towns in the region, from Cootamundra, best known for being cricket legend Bradman's Birthplace; Temora, home to Temora Aviation Museum; and Junee and its irresistible Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory.

Linger in Wagga Wagga, the state’s largest inland city, checking in to The Charles Boutique Hotel and Dining and gaining an understanding of the area’s original inhabitants on a tour with Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge.

Your Sydney-bound leg takes you to Gundagai, with its famous The Dog on the Tuckerbox, and the charming village of Jugiong, where you can plug your EV into a charging station and cross the road to enjoy a lunch of local seasonal fare at Long Track Pantry. 

Reach new heights: The Snowy Mountains

Whether you’re into hiking or mountain-biking in summer, and no matter your stand on snowboarding versus skiing, driving the Kosciuszko Alpine Way through the Snowy Mountains is blissful at any time of the year. 

See how the waters of the Snowies supply the power for your EV at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre in the gateway town of Cooma. Continue on to the alpine town of Jindabyne for a classic pub meal at The Banjo Paterson Inn, washed down with one its Kosciuszko Brewing Company ales. 

Follow the Alpine Way towards Thredbo, stopping in at Wildbrumby Distillery and Cafe in Crackenback before checking into the Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa to refresh before dinner – and to recharge your car.

The next day, you’re spoilt for choice of ways to enjoy Kosciuszko National Park. Depending on the season, you can ski at Thredbo Resort or Perisher Ski Resort; strap on snowshoes or don boots to explore the park with K7 Adventures; ride gravity trails accessed via ski lifts with Thredbo Mountain Biking; or spend a warm day hiking the Kosciuszko Walk - Thredbo to Mount Kosciuszko.