How to get to Bonny Hills

Getting around Bonny Hills

A charming, hidden coastal escape

The NSW Mid North Coast is one of the best places to go when you need a break from ‘normal life’ – especially the beautiful haven of Bonny Hills. It sits just south of Port Macquarie on the coast with Queens Lake on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other.

To save you a headache (or two) when planning your next trip, here’s our guide to the transport options and routes for how to get to Bonny Hills.

Plan your travel

Bonny Hills, NSW

By Car By Bus By Plane By Train By Bike By Foot

How to get there

Travelling to Bonny Hills can be done in a few different ways. If you’re driving, take the Pacific Highway (A1) and look for the Lake Cathie exit, then follow local roads into town. If you’re flying in, Port Macquarie Airport is the nearest airport, with connections into Bonny Hills on arrival. But if you want to take public transport, there are train and bus options available via other major hubs in the area.

Modes of transport

Here are key transport options for car, bus, plane, train, bike and by foot. Whatever your preferred transport method, you'll find options to reach Bonny Hills and explore the area.

By Car

Reaching Bonny Hills by car is straightforward and a great way to get familiar with the area. Turn off the Pacific Highway towards Lake Cathie and follow the local roads into town. From Sydney, it’s a touch over 4 hours, or an easy 25 minutes south from Port Macquarie.

Here’s the approximate driving times and distances of popular departure towns into Bonny Hills, from closest to furthest away:

Laurieton: 10 minutes / 8 km
Port Macquarie: 23 minutes / 27 km
Forster: 1 hr 15 minutes / 94 km
Coffs Harbour: 1 hr 48 minutes / 168 km
Newcastle: 2 hr 45 minutes / 227 km
Sydney: 4 hr 5 minutes / 374 km
Byron Bay: 4 hr 12 minutes / 401 km

By Bus

While there’s no direct bus into Bonny Hills, you can book a coach via Greyhound or NSW TrainLink into Port Macquarie. From there, hire a car or organise a rideshare for the last leg of your journey, especially as local buses are limited (so make sure you book your transport in advance).

By Plane

If you’re looking to fly into Bonny Hills, the closest airport is Port Macquarie Airport (PQQ). If you’re coming from Sydney, there are direct flights with Rex and Qantas Link, with connections from other major cities around Australia. After you’ve got your bags, there are hire cars available or rideshares to bring you into Bonny Hills.

By Train

If you’re researching how to get to Bonny Hills by train, take the NSW TrainLink North Coast line to Wauchope, which is the nearest station. You can pre-book a hire car, arrange a taxi or grab a rideshare from there to take you into town (about a 20-minute drive southeast).

By Bike

For keen cyclists, you’ll be happy to know that Bonny Hills is perfect for life on two wheels. There are scenic routes you can take with plenty of coastal views, the terrain is mostly gentle, and there are some hilly patches in the surrounding area – perfect for mountain biking or hybrid bikes.

By Foot

While figuring out how to get to Bonny Hills may involve a few logistics, once you’re here, it’s way more relaxed. The beach, local shops and headland trail are easy to get to without a car, so you can take life at your own pace. The headland walk, in particular, is low effort, high reward, with brilliant panoramic views at the end.

Top things to do in Bonny Hills

Rainbow Beach

Rainbow Beach trends south-southwest for 2.5 kilometres from the dolerite rocks at Middle Rock Point to the sedimentary rocks at Bonny Hills. The beach is backed by a foredune, then two kilometres long Duchess Gully Creek that drains across the southern end of the beach, where it is called Little Vinegar Creek, linking with a second small creek.

Ocean Drive skirts around the beach with access only available at Middle Rock, where there are no facilities, while Bonny Hills has the surf club, a park, picnic area, and two caravan parks. Rainbow Beach is patrolled during school holidays from October through April.

Discovering Bonny Hills: A family adventure with a glamping twist

A glamping tent may not be the first accommodation to come come to mind when planning a family holiday, but all the pros of arriving at the park without having to set up a tent, plus space for everyone to spread out (unlike the tent squash) - a family glamping trip is definitely one to consider. Jacqui recently took her family to Bonny Hills for a glamping tent, and here is how it went.

Dooragan National Park

Dooragan National Park is the perfect place to relax and unwind, while enjoying the view over a casual picnic and watching the passing parade of wildlife. Located west of Laurieton - a pretty coastal village - the views from Dooragan Summit picnic area are exceptional, stretching far over Queens Lake and North Haven. Easy accessibility makes it a fantastic destination to bring guests and visitors to the region.

Several of the park's walks, including Laurieton track, take you through spectacular blackbutt forests which mingle with enormous old stumps, reflecting the old days of timber harvesting in the park. The trails are buzzing with the sounds of the park's wildlife residents and, in summer, the echo of cicadas can almost be overpowering.

Dooragan National Park is so diverse, it's not unusual to see colourful hang-gliders launching from the popular North Brother summit, or even wedding parties posing for photos on their big day.

Jolly Nose Mountain Bike Park

Jolly Nose Mountain Bike Park is located in Queens Lake State Forest Bonny Hills.

The park boasts approximately 70 kilometres of single track mountain bike trails for both gravity and cross country mountain bike riding.

All trails in the park are sign posted and are rated according to the level of difficulty. The ratings range from beginner to intermediate and advanced.

Jolly Nose Mountain Bike Park is easily accessible by car and is only a short 20 minutes drive south of Port Macquarie.

Perpendicular Point

The majestic Perpendicular Point with its spectacular vertical cliffs plummeting 40 metres to the sea below, is the main feature of Kattang Nature Reserve. This reserve is surrounded by rock platforms, with the Camden Haven estuary to the north. Perpendicular Point is the best spot in the Camden Haven district to watch whales as they migrate to and from the warmer northern waters. Humpback whales can be seen regularly from May to October while the rarer Southern Right whale can sometimes be seen.

A variety of habitats include rugged and exposed headlands, patches of littoral rainforest, dry eucalypt forest, and wet and dry heaths. The reserve was declared in 1983 following the efforts of the local Save the Headland Action Group. The two main walks in the reserve feature great views and wildflowers in season.

Lighthouse Gallery

A boutique public exhibition space located in Port Macquarie, NSW showcasing a range of original artworks by internationally recognised realism artist Nicola McLeay. It has a focus on sharing with the public one-off pieces that are for sale of the region and wider parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Attractive leasing options and personalised commissions are available in a range of sizes, media and mediums. Visitors are welcome to linger and absorb the beauty of Nicola McLeay’s fine art while watching a digital display of the artists process via time-lapse. The works on show change frequently as new pieces are completed, fresh off the easel.

Lighthouse Gallery is situated at Lighthouse Beach, one kilometre south of the Tacking Point Surf Club opposite the famous Camel Safari, along one of Australia's most majestic coastlines.

Visiting the gallery can easily be arranged by appointment or when it is open for public viewing.

Dooragan National Park

Kattang Nature Reserve

Kattang Nature Reserve is a spectacular location on the mid-north coast, just waiting to be explored. Surrounded on all three sides by Pacific Ocean, the majestic Perpendicular Point stands tall with 40m vertical cliffs plummeting to the sea below. The outstanding coastal views from the lookout make a perfect backdrop for a great photograph.

Wander along easy walking tracks while taking in magnificent views, and admire the vibrant colours of spring wildflowers which attract the large variety of birdlife. Enjoy picnicking with a view as you indulge in whale watching, and try spotting dolphins in the sparkling waters below.

Head to the rock platforms below and laze away the day lying under the shade of the she-oaks with a good book. Take the kids exploring - the abundant marine life in the rockpools will provide hours of fun. Enjoy swimming at Dunbogan Beach and try your luck fishing from the rocky platforms or the sandy beaches.

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Frequently asked questions

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Where is Bonny Hills?

Bonny Hills is on the NSW Mid North Coast, a short 20-minute drive south of Port Macquarie, and about halfway between Sydney and the Gold Coast (QLD). Located between the Pacific Ocean and Queens Lake, it’s surrounded by some of Australia’s most untouched natural destinations. For details on how to get to Bonny Hills, scroll up!

How far is Bonny Hills from Port Macquarie?

Bonny Hills is around 27 km from Port Macquarie – that’s about 23 minutes, give or take, in the car. Catch local bus 333 operated by Busways, which takes roughly 50 minutes and hugs the coast. It runs every hour or so, but make sure you check the timetable for departure info.

How do you get from Bonny Hills to Coffs harbour?

The most direct way to get from Bonny Hills to Coffs Harbour is to drive. It’ll take just shy of 2 hours to make the 168 km route via the Pacific Highway. If you want to travel by public transport, either take the 333 bus north into Port Macquarie and hop on a Greyhound bus, or take the 333 bus south into Kendall to catch the NSW TrainLink North Coast line up to Coffs Harbour.

Is there a way to get from Bonny Hills to Newcastle by public transport?

Yes, there are a few routes you can take using a combination of train and bus, taking anywhere from 5 to 8 hours. The fastest option is to get the 333 local bus up to Port Macquarie and transfer to either a Greyhound bus or a NSW TrainLink coach down to Newcastle. Or, you can take the 333 bus to Kendall and switch to the NSW TrainLink North Coast line train, which is the longer option, but you’ll get to see more of inland NSW on your way.