Best Day Rides from Taylors Beach: The Bucketts Way and Lakes Way Loop
From Down Under Motorcycles
Rolling out of Taylors Beach while the estuary is still glassy, this ride trades the Port Stephens waterline for the green dairy country and timbered ranges of the Mid North Coast hinterland. Within an hour the salt air gives way to the smell of eucalypt and cut grass as The Bucketts Way carves north through Stroud and on towards Gloucester, where the jagged Bucketts Range stands guard at the foot of the Barrington Tops.
From Gloucester the road loops east, dropping through Nabiac and down to the big blue of Wallis Lake at Forster-Tuncurry, a natural lunch and fuel stop with beaches on one side and the lake on the other. The return leg is the showpiece: The Lakes Way threads between Smiths Lake, the Myall Lakes and the sea, with optional run-outs to Pacific Palms and the Seal Rocks lighthouse.
It is a long but rewarding day, best taken at an unhurried pace. Treat the distances and times here as a guide only, carry water, and remember that road and weather conditions on these country and coastal routes can change quickly.
Along the way
- 1
Karuah
A quiet Pacific Highway town on the Karuah River known for its oysters. A handy early fuel and coffee stop before you turn inland onto The Bucketts Way.
- 2
Stroud
A historic colonial village with convict-era brick buildings, old churches and the Stroud brick-pit relics. Easy, flat streets and a good leg-stretch and photo stop.
- 3
Gloucester
Sitting beneath the distinctive Bucketts Range at the gateway to the Barrington Tops, this country town offers cafes, pubs and sweeping valley views. The northern turning point of the loop.
- 4
National Motorcycle Museum, Nabiac
A fitting detour for riders, this large private collection of vintage and classic motorcycles sits just off the route near Nabiac. Check current opening days before relying on it.
- 5
Forster-Tuncurry
Twin towns straddling the entrance to Wallis Lake, with surf beaches, a breakwall and plenty of lunch options. Fuel up here before the Lakes Way run south.
- 6
Pacific Palms and Smiths Lake
The scenic heart of The Lakes Way, where the road winds between lakes, forest and ocean. Worth pausing at Elizabeth Beach or the Smiths Lake lookout.
- 7
Seal Rocks (Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse)
An optional side trip off The Lakes Way to a classic clifftop lighthouse and sheltered bay. The final stretch of Seal Rocks Road is narrow, so ride it with care.
Before you go
- Fuel strategically: top up at Karuah before heading inland, and again at Gloucester and Forster, as stretches between towns on The Bucketts Way have limited services.
- Road surface varies: The Bucketts Way has patched sections, tight corners and occasional gravel on the edges, while The Lakes Way is generally good but subject to roadworks.
- Wildlife is a real hazard, especially kangaroos, wombats and cattle near farmland at dawn and dusk; avoid riding this route after dark.
- Watch for timber and log trucks on the inland hinterland roads, and give yourself room on blind crests and single-lane bridges.
- Summer brings afternoon storms and heavy holiday traffic around Forster and the lakes, so start early and check the forecast before you set out.
Ride it on a ReviRide bike
Helmet and 800 km/day included.
Routes are suggestions only. Roads, conditions, and access can change — check current conditions, ride to your ability and the conditions, and obey all road rules.