New England High Country
Glen Innes Highlands is part of New England High Country, which presents incredible scenery and rides for all types of motorcycling.
Whether you’re into luxury touring, off-road touring or road touring, there are plenty of roads, corners, tracks and must-see destinations along the way.
Plan your itinerary with the HEMA New England High Country NSW Motorcycle Touring map.
Thunderbolt’s Way
Gloucester to Tibbuc (33km) > Tibbuc to Walcha (116km) > Walcha to Uralla (43km)
Entering New England High Country from the south at Walcha, Thunderbolt’s Way tops this list for its wide-open vistas of rolling, impossibly green farmland and its tight bends across the Great Dividing Range. It passes from the Mid-North Coast hinterland at Gloucester through the delightful towns of Walcha and Uralla before continuing on to Inverell.
Waterfall Way
Coffs Harbour to Bellingen (35km) > Bellingen to Dorrigo (30km) > Dorrigo to Ebor (47km) > Ebor to Armidale (80km)
There is no hyperbole in the name of this road: travel on it and you will see many waterfalls! You’ll also cross the Great Dividing Range from Coffs Harbour on the coast to Armidale in New England High Country, a mountain pass with awesome hairpin bends and long, steep hills. Stop at the many lookouts to enjoy incredible views over the gorges to the coastal flats beyond.
Gwydir Highway
Grafton to Raspberry Lookout (102km) > Raspberry Lookout to Glen Innes (64km) > Glen Innes to Inverell (70km)
Stretching from Grafton on the coast to Glen Innes, followed by Inverell in New England High Country, the Gwydir highway crosses the Great Dividing Range and offers tight bends and long climbs. Highlights include Washpool National Park and Raspberry Lookout, which offer extensive views across the gorge country.
Old Glen Innes Road
Grafton to Chambigne (26km) > Chambigne to Buccarumbi (13km)
For those with a taste for gravel, the Old Glen Innes Road is an unsealed alternative to the Gwydir Highway. Turn off the main drag just west of Grafton and follow the Boyd River through picturesque cattle country. You’ll pass a ghost town, a convict-carved tunnel through a cliff and the old hideout of an infamous bushranger.
Oxley Highway
Port Macquarie to Walcha (182km) > Walcha to Tamworth (91km)
Another windy mountainous route to New England High Country from the coast, the Oxley Highway runs from Port Macquarie on the coast to Walcha in New England High Country and then through to Tamworth. It’s a fairly quiet stretch of road that tightens as it dips in and out of gullies before climbing steadily across the Great Dividing Range through tall timber forests.
Bruxner Highway
Lismore to Casino (31km) > Casino to Tenterfield (128km)
A more obscure route from the coast to New England High Country, the Bruxner Highway runs from the Northern Rivers region to Tenterfield, close to the Queensland border. The best part is the 130km stretch between Casino and Tenterfield where the road crosses the mountains.
Tourist Drive 19
Armidale to Uralla (49km)
A peaceful country meander that is light on adrenalin but high on New England charm, Tourist Drive 19 is an easy day trip between Armidale and Uralla. It takes in the breathtaking Dangars Gorge, Petersons Winery, the historic Deargee Woolshed and the picture-perfect Gostwyck Chapel.
Mt Mackenzie Drive
Tenterfield Loop (28km)
A shorty but a goodie, the Mount Mackenzie Drive leads you from Tenterfield up the mountain that presides over the town to the west. The drive is a loop that takes in rocky farmland dotted with iconic granite boulders and at the top you’ll enjoy incredible views over the town, across to the Queensland border, the Great Dividing Range, and beyond.
New England High Country
For more information on touring the New England High Country Region click here.
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Acknowledgement of Country
Glen Innes Highlands acknowledges and pays respect to the Ngoorabul people as the traditional custodians of this land, their elders past, present and emerging, and to Torres Strait Islander people and all First Nations people.
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