A better way would be to actually make sure you have enough time to pull over, stretch the legs, and maybe choose a spot to spend overnight. But there are so many nooks and crannies worth exploring along the way, you may find it hard to keep the travel time down. If you can, a road trip along the East Coast is a highly rewarding experience.
If you don't have a car, you can save money by renting online – sites like www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au pool together all of the latest prices on offer from the most popular car rental companies. This way you can be sure of getting a great car rental Sydney deal.
So once you've negotiated your way out of North Sydney and onto the Pacific Highway, one of the popular places to stop and stretch the legs is the beach town of Terrigal. Terrigal has followed the tradition of the likes of Byron Bay – where a residual alternative vibe has been frilled up to serve a relaxed and palatable mainstream holiday feel. If you're searching for something quieter, then just a tiny 10-minute drive away will see you at Avoca Beach, just remember, you'll be sharing the waves with a few dedicated surf-rats.
Newcastle, just under two hours drive from Terrigal, is another place you'll probably stop by. It's an old industrial city and word of mouth is yet to pick up on its attractions. And these would be? Well, it has five beaches (Nobbys Beach is the most popular even though the name leaves something to be desired), a huge student population (ie: lively music scene), some gorgeous architecture to be found in colonial buildings and terraced housing – and after a long walk you can head to Darby street for the obligatory latte and international cuisine experience.
Plus (and this is a big plus to anyone over 18 and not required to be a designated driver), Newcastle is a good base to strike out in exploration of Australia's personal vineyard – the Hunter Valley. Much delight of the red and white variety can be found at the various vineyards around Pokolbin – some of which are set in ridiculously romantic scenery.
After an enthusiastic testing of the Hunter's finest products, you may wish to immerse yourself in nature to freshen up. Two hours north of Newcastle will get you to the twin cities of Forster-Tuncurry. A day-trip from here and you can frolic around in the brilliant World-Heritage listed Barrington Tops National Park.
From here on in, there are plenty of little towns and laid-back cities – you'll be passing by the beach-laden Port Macquarie, the tiny resort town of Nambucca Heads, the Big Banana near Coffs Harbour. But you're now fast-approaching one of the most popular corners of NSW.
It's here you'll cruise up and down gentle hills (green too, which is unusual for most parts of Australia these days) and along the coast to take in truly picturesque towns like Byron Bay, Bangalow, Mullumbimby, and Murwillumbah. There's the defiantly-alternative Nimbin with its interesting take on the criminal code with respect to marijuana. And then there are tiny little villages like Mooball – nestled in the Burringbar Ranges – where the telephone poles and local servo are painted in the pattern of dairy cows.
There are some truly wonderful pubs around: Byron Bay's The Beach Hotel; the Nimbin Hotel (in Nimbin of course); and the Tumbulgum Tavern (Riverside Drive in Tumbulgum – just outside of Murwillumbah), just to name a few.
It's only another two-and-a-half hours to Brisbane after that (some people fall into the trap of stopping in at Surfers Paradise and give all their money to the Jupiter's Casino or the clubs on Orchid Ave).
Lovely Brisbane, with its unending sunny days (bad for the gardens, but good for the soul) and its rolling river, and its Queenslander houses all leaning up against each other while everyone's down in West End having coffee and people-watching. Have a nice time in our Brisbane won't you.