Next 7 departures
- SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 14–27°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Fog14°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Sunny18°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Sunny21°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Sunny24°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Sunny25°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Sunny25°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Sunny27°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Sunny23°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 15–24°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy15°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy17°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Cloudy18°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Cloudy20°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Light rain21°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Rain21°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Rain24°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Light rain23°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 18–26°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Partly sunny18°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny20°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Cloudy22°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Cloudy23°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Rain showers26°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Rain24°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Rain showers23°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Light rain showers24°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 16–21°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy16°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Cloudy17°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Rain18°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Light rain20°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Cloudy19°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Rain showers19°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Rain showers21°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Rain showers20°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 15–20°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Mostly sunny15°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Partly sunny17°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny20°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Partly sunny19°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Partly sunny20°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Partly sunny19°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 14–22°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Mostly sunny14°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Partly sunny15°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Partly sunny17°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Mostly sunny18°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Sunny20°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Partly sunny21°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Sunny22°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Partly sunny22°C - SatOct 10
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 17–27°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Sydney7 AM AEDT Cloudy17°C Morisset8:15 AM AEDT Light rain20°C Bulahdelah9:30 AM AEDT Partly sunny21°C Nabiac10 AM AEDT Mostly sunny23°C Kempsey11:15 AM AEDT Rain26°C Coffs Harbour12:15 PM AEDT Rain showers27°C Maclean1:30 PM AEDT Rain showers27°C Byron Bay2:45 PM AEDT Cloudy24°C
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Sydney (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Sydney, NSWStart 68 melevation
- Morisset, NSWKm 113 · 1 h 15 min 29 melevation
- Bulahdelah, NSWKm 235 · 2 h 26 min 14 melevation
- Nabiac, NSWKm 280 · 2 h 54 min 9 melevation
- Kempsey, NSWKm 415 · 4 h 13 min 10 melevation
- Coffs Harbour, NSWKm 521 · 5 h 17 min 6 melevation
- Maclean, NSWKm 636 · 6 h 26 min 14 melevation
- Byron Bay, NSWKm 755 · 7 h 39 min 9 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rain, at Sydney, Kempsey and Byron Bay.
| Month | Sydney 39 m | Kempsey 10 m | Byron Bay Cape Byron station · 95 m | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | Precip (mm) | High / low °C | Precip (mm) | High / low °C | Precip (mm) | |
| Jan | 27° / 20° | 91 | 29° / 18° | 129 | 28° / 21° | 151 |
| Feb | 27° / 20° | 132 | 29° / 18° | 177 | 28° / 21° | 182 |
| Mar | 26° / 18° | 118 | 28° / 17° | 148 | 27° / 20° | 156 |
| Apr | 24° / 15° | 114 | 25° / 14° | 88 | 24° / 18° | 155 |
| May | 21° / 12° | 101 | 23° / 10° | 71 | 21° / 15° | 98 |
| Jun | 18° / 10° | 143 | 20° / 8° | 102 | 19° / 13° | 175 |
| Jul | 18° / 9° | 80 | 20° / 6° | 43 | 19° / 12° | 78 |
| Aug | 19° / 10° | 75 | 21° / 6° | 55 | 20° / 13° | 70 |
| Sep | 22° / 12° | 64 | 24° / 9° | 46 | 22° / 15° | 48 |
| Oct | 23° / 15° | 68 | 25° / 12° | 62 | 24° / 17° | 89 |
| Nov | 24° / 17° | 91 | 27° / 15° | 124 | 25° / 19° | 91 |
| Dec | 26° / 18° | 73 | 28° / 17° | 113 | 27° / 20° | 139 |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): SYDNEY OBSERVATORY HILL, AS (ASN00066062, 39 m); KEMPSEY WIDE STREET, AS (ASN00059017, 10 m); BYRON BAY CAPE BYRON AWS, AS (ASN00058216, 95 m). Precipitation is the monthly total of rain and melted snow, in millimetres. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for New South Wales rather than repeat them.
- New South Wales · Live Traffic NSWLive Traffic NSW
Check the official forecast from Bureau of Meteorology and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Sydney to Byron Bay with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Sydney to Byron Bay?
755 km (469 miles), about 7½ hours of driving without stops, by way of M1 and A1. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the wettest month in Byron Bay?
February. The nearest long-term NOAA station, Cape Byron (95 m), averages 182 mm of rain and melted snow that month (1991–2020 averages).
How cold is Byron Bay in July?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Cape Byron (95 m), averages a high of 19°C and a low of 12°C in July (1991–2020 averages).