Best Highway Route, Townsville to Sydney

[calais]

I've recently been transferred from Townsville QLD to Sydney NSW with work and have to drive my car and box trailer there, and am interested to know what the road conditions are like if I were to take the inland route through Charters Towers and then south via Emerald, Roma and Dubbo.

Having only ever travelled the Bruce and Pacific Highways, I have no idea what the road conditions (wildlife, livestock, flooding, dirt roads etc.) are like out west, and what sort of amenities are available in the way of places to eat and to sleep.

I will be making the trip south on or about the 17th - 20th of september and any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Stick to the Bruce / Pacific Highway for Sydney its quicker then inland!!

Cheers.

[wicksy]

watch the roads around bre and bourke i will say taht now, they are lethal downthat way, chunks or road missing

[atec77]

Originally Posted by calais

I've recently been transferred from Townsville QLD to Sydney NSW with work and have to drive my car and box trailer there, and am interested to know what the road conditions are like if I were to take the inland route through Charters Towers and then south via Emerald, Roma and Dubbo.

Having only ever travelled the Bruce and Pacific Highways, I have no idea what the road conditions (wildlife, livestock, flooding, dirt roads etc.) are like out west, and what sort of amenities are available in the way of places to eat and to sleep.

I will be making the trip south on or about the 17th - 20th of september and any advice is greatly appreciated.

straight south along the Bruce , so where are you stopping ?
last trip up we did Mac then Townsville so I guess south is the same then 10 to 12 hours to Syny ?
remember the Qld plates act like a scum magnet over the border

[calais]

I have done the Syd-Tvl trip 6 times, all on the Bruce and Pacific Highways. Its either a 2 day enduro swapping drivers every few hours or a 3 day epic with just me behind the wheel.

I was looking at google maps and it said that the inland route was something like 200km shorter, but thats no good if the speed limits are lower, because I wont speed. Also if theres nowhere safe to stop to rest, I wont entertain the idea either.

When I use the Bruce and Pacific, heading south my overnights are at Rockhampton and Ballina. Heading north, I stop at Brisbane and Mackay. As for refuels, I can do the trip one way on 125L of diesel in the Fiat, so range isnt an issue if was to venture west.

[Zoink]

I travel between Sydney and Cairns at least twice a year and gave up using the Pacific Hwy years ago.
The best route I’ve found south from Townsville is to take the Bruce Hwy to Rocky then the Capricorn Hwy out of rocky and onto the Leichhardt Hwy which takes you south through Banana, Miles and Goondiwindi.
From Goondiwindi take the Newell Hwy to Narrabri then the Kamilaroi Hwy till it meets the New England Hwy.
Ive have no problems towing a 6mtr boat along this route.
The speed limit is 100 on most, with three 110 limits, North of Rocky, south of Goondiwindi and part of the Kamilaroi.

[downthetrack]

Originally Posted by Zoink

I travel between Sydney and Cairns at least twice a year and gave up using the Pacific Hwy years ago.
The best route I’ve found south from Townsville is to take the Bruce Hwy to Rocky then the Capricorn Hwy out of rocky and onto the Leichhardt Hwy which takes you south through Banana, Miles and Goondiwindi.
From Goondiwindi take the Newell Hwy to Narrabri then the Kamilaroi Hwy till it meets the New England Hwy.
Ive have no problems towing a 6mtr boat along this route.
The speed limit is 100 on most, with three 110 limits, North of Rocky, south of Goondiwindi and part of the Kamilaroi.

That's the way I would be taking as well, you will encounter far less traffic for the most part as most of the dropkicks stay on the Bruce and Pacific Highways. Banana, Goondiwindi, Narrabri all have 24hr fuel (Miles should too but have never looked), Is bitumen all the way, but kangaroos are plenty if night driving.
There is also the option of the New England Highway Rockhampton, Biloela, Monto, Goomeri, Toowoomba, Warwick etc, But has plenty of ups and downs so won't be the best with a trailer attached but still better traffic wise than the Bruce and Pacific.

[dave351cid]

i would go the same track as "Zoink",
roads are pretty good, not much traffic, less cops but their still out there, less towns to slow you down but there is still plenty of places to get fuel-food-bed etc, be careful of skippys if travelling at night.

i would say it will save you several hours of travell time going inland instead of coast road. will also use less fuel.

i often travell from Miriam Vale to Mudgee and use part of this route. much quicker and easier drive than the coast road or even the New England hwy via Warrick / Armidale.

stop over at rocky, biloela, miles, moonie, goondiwindi, moree, narrabri, gunnedah, etc.