Five scenic routes
Formally opened in 2008, the Drive spans more than 600 kilometres of bitumen across about 50,000 square kilometres of Central West and Northwest slopes country. Fuel, toilets and country hospitality wait in every town.
Queensland · Moree · Narrabri
Come down from Queensland through Moree and Narrabri. Pluto and Neptune sit at Bellata on the Newell Highway; Saturn is at Narrabri. All roads then meet in Coonabarabran for Jupiter on Timor Road.
Via Bellata, Pilliga
Tamworth & New England
From Tamworth and the New England, the drive crosses Gunnedah — Red Chief country — then Nombi (Uranus) and Saturn on the Oxley Highway (17932 Oxley Hwy on Google Maps) before Coonabarabran and Timor Road.
Via Gunnedah, Mullaley, Emerald Hill
Sydney · Hunter · Merriwa
The Hunter road is a classic two-hour outer-to-inner run: Merriwa Pluto, Coolah Uranus, Binnaway Saturn, then Jupiter on Timor Road west of Coonabarabran.
Via Jerries Plains, Coolah, Binnaway
Sydney · South Coast · Mudgee
Gold-rush towns and vineyard country. Gulgong and Birriwa hold the outer ice worlds; Leadville is Saturn. All routes then share Jupiter on Timor Road west of Coonabarabran.
Via Gulgong, Birriwa, Leadville, Coolah
Dubbo & the Central West
The Newell Highway run. Gilgandra is Neptune, Tooraweenah Uranus, Gulargambone Saturn. Between Uranus and Saturn, Hickeys Falls is Yowie country — go quietly.
Via Gilgandra, Tooraweenah, Gulargambone
Every route meets at Coonabarabran. From there, Timor Road carries Jupiter (about 7 km west, right-hand side), then Mars. Turn onto Observatory Road for Earth & Moon, Venus and Mercury, and finish at the AAT dome — the Sun of the entire model — at Siding Spring.
