Road Trip Advice/Suggestions/Thoughts

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

I'm likely to be heading up to Newcastle in November to visit a mate and go to the Supercars.

I was going to fly up, but after a little inspiration from cheap's trip from Sydney to Brisbane not using highways, and a mate who suggested I make a road trip of it, I'm seriously considering jumping in the XR8 and taking a couple of days getting there.

So, here's my criteria (in order of priority):

• From Sale to Gosford
• Must be bitumen roads
• Good enough condition roads for the XR8 to not get a damaged rim, etc on
• Roads I have not traveled on previously
• No highway or freeway (old highways excepted)

After a few hours of research on google maps, this is what I have come up with.

A couple of concerns that I wouldn't mind getting some advice on:

• Burra Road heading north out of Gundagai does not have any street view, but from the close in zoom it appears as though the road is bitumen, and the streetview shows that it is bitumen at the Reno Rd and Muttama Road junctions. Is this road all bitumen and is the condition of this road ok for the XR8?
• Small sections of Rugby Road/Narrawa Road/Boorawa Road around the Lachlan river area appear as dirt roads on streetview, but look like bitumen on the satellite view. I note the streetview is form 2008 and the satellite view is 2019. Anyone able to confirm this road is actually sealed now from Rugby to Crookwell?

I'd appreciate any advice/thoughts/input anyone has on my planned route and how suitable/unsuitable it will be.

Also, I thought others may want to use this thread to seek advice from others on any road trips they had planned or wanted to undertake. Sharing of what we found good or otherwise might just encourage others to get out and about to different locations too.

[roKWiz]

Don't know how direct you want it but maybe Great Alpine Rd over the mountains to Myrtleford from Sale area, to Albury via Beechworth then follow what I suggested to Cheap in reverse missing the dirt sections but old Hume and Olympic. There's still a lot of dirt out the back of Gunning. Crookwell Borowa. I've been caught out too.

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Don't know how direct you want it but maybe Great Alpine Rd over the mountains to Myrtleford from Sale area, to Albury via Beechworth then follow what I suggested to Cheap in reverse missing the dirt sections but old Hume and Olympic. There's still a lot of dirt out the back of Gunning. Crookwell Borowa. I've been caught out too.

Thanks RW. Had thought of your suggestion but as I've traveled the Great Alpine Road before, I thought I'd see if I could come up with a different path. Will keep that in mind though if I can't come up with other suitable alternatives.

[roKWiz]

There's a lot of dirt to the East of it otherwise, maybe via Batemans bay over Clyde Mtn through Braidwood, Canberra. There was a newly hot mixed road running down from Bungonia down to the South coast somewhere.

[snap0964]

You might be referring to Main Rd 92 ?
https://www.shoalhaven.com/blog/road...ing-main-rd-92
AFAIK it is sealed all the way through now - I went through there in 2010 and there was a few km of dirt.
There are two entries, through Tarago, and a turn off on the Kings Hwy via Braidwood.
It brings you out near HMAS Albatross, and you can either get on the Princes Hwy over Nowra Hill, or go into Nowra itself.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by snap0964

You might be referring to Main Rd 92 ?
https://www.shoalhaven.com/blog/road...ing-main-rd-92
AFAIK it is sealed all the way through now - I went through there in 2010 and there was a few km of dirt.
There are two entries, through Tarago, and a turn off on the Kings Hwy via Braidwood.
It brings you out near HMAS Albatross, and you can either get on the Princes Hwy over Nowra Hill, or go into Nowra itself.

Yeah, that's its but might be backtracking from Nowra, maybe the Tarago one from Braidwood (Warri locality) pick up Lake Bathurst road to Goulburn.

[snap0964]

Yeah, it is a bit - your only options North are the Princes Hwy, or go through Kangaroo Valley.

[Cav]

The road north from Gundagai means that you turn off about half way to Cootamundra.

The turnoff to the right is on a left hand sweeping bend. If you are using a sat nav you won't miss it.

The back road then picks up the Cootamundra to Young road which used to be called the Olympic highway. You will only be on this road for a kilometre or so before you turn right at the large roundabout at Wallendbeen.

Be aware that this shortcut is sealed but it is very narrow in places and you may have to move onto the verge if passing traffic turns up.

How are you travelling home? Via the Hume I suggest.

[hayseed]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

Anyone able to confirm this road is actually sealed now from Rugby to Crookwell?[/LIST]

Yep It's all sealed from Boorowa to Crookwell..

[Citroënbender]

From memory the back way through Rye Park, wasn't some years ago.

All this meandering adds heaps of time to the trip, is that adequately provisioned for?

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Originally Posted by Cav

The road north from Gundagai means that you turn off about half way to Cootamundra.

The turnoff to the right is on a left hand sweeping bend. If you are using a sat nav you won't miss it.

The back road then picks up the Cootamundra to Young road which used to be called the Olympic highway. You will only be on this road for a kilometre or so before you turn right at the large roundabout at Wallendbeen.

Be aware that this shortcut is sealed but it is very narrow in places and you may have to move onto the verge if passing traffic turns up.

That sounds like the one. Yep, looks narrow, but I don't mind slowing down for oncoming traffic; I did that in the XR8 for 3 years to and from work, so a once off trip will be ok.

Originally Posted by Cav

How are you travelling home? Via the Hume I suggest.

Think I'll come home via the coast road (Princes Hwy) stopping somewhere like Merimbula for a night.

Originally Posted by hayseed

Yep It's all sealed from Boorowa to Crookwell..

Thanks. That makes me feel more comfortable with the route I've picked.

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

From memory the back way through Rye Park, wasn't some years ago.

Looks like Grassy Creek Road north of Maryvale Road is unsealed.

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

All this meandering adds heaps of time to the trip, is that adequately provisioned for?

Yeah, looking to stop at Gundagai as the mid point and travelling over two days. And it appears as though there are heaps of opportunities to fill up with either U95 or U98 along the way, even though some of it is at inflated prices.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

Yeah, looking to stop at Gundagai as the mid point and travelling over two days. And it appears as though there are heaps of opportunities to fill up with either U95 or U98 along the way, even though some of it is at inflated prices.

Download the NSW Gov fuel price app....

https://fuelcheck.nsw.gov.au/app

[Citroënbender]

You can use the Fuelcheck government pricing website in NSW, cross-check it against servo hours though. Getting off the main highways might restrict mobile signal if you're not with the Big T.

Suggest you try Tinder for accommodation along the way. ;-)

Edit: G-O-L: snap! LOL

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

I've got fuelspy and used that to get an idea as to what was available where.

My comment regarding inflated prices was just acknowledging that the places I might end up purchasing fuel from are off the beaten track and therefore it would be unreasonable to expect them to be the same as major routes. I'm not unhappy to pay the prices; it's a small price to pay for the experience.

And my mobile is with T. Living in a regional area, coverage is the main reason I am with them.

[cheap]

Hey PB, good work!

As an alternative travel along Pitt Town Road and then Cattai Rd and the onto Wiseman’s Ferry rd - continue on Old Northern Rd.

Follow it till you get to the ferry and cross over the river.

The road becomes Wiseman’s Ferry Rd again, continue along Wiseman’s and it will eventually join your route up near Karriong.

But then again Galston Gorge and Old Pacific Highway are a good drive too.

As for nutrition and hydration, depending which way you go there is a good pub at Wiseman’s Ferry, likewise Pie in the Sky outside of Cowan. The rules are clear - no Macca’s, HJ’s or Kids Fattening Centres.

Don’t worry about the rims, they will only get damaged by potholes if you drive too slow, otherwise with enough speed you’ll float over them!

[roKWiz]

Pie in the Sky just sell expensive crappy tasteless small jelly filled pies.
Mt White store further along is so much better.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Pie in the Sky just sell expensive crappy tasteless small jelly filled pies.
Mt White store further along is so much better.

When you've been peddling uphill from the Hawkesbury, Pie in the Sky is very welcome. Maybe there needs to be another thread? "Best Pie Shop..."

[Citroënbender]

Yep, a “Good feeds on the road” thread, hopefully kept up to date.

[Craig@AUDI]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

I'm likely to be heading up to Newcastle in November to visit a mate and go to the Supercars.

Suggestions eh?

Newcastle eh?

Flanno, uggies and blue singlet top!

[Citroënbender]

Trousers too.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by cheap

When you've been peddling uphill from the Hawkesbury, Pie in the Sky is very welcome. Maybe there needs to be another thread? "Best Pie Shop..."

That little hill from the bridge you mean.
I used to live in Phegans Bay, ride out and down Bulls Hill, train to Sydney, work all day cutting, laying stone then ride from Berowra via the Old Hwy when it was closed at Cheero Point.
One hour exactly to the Mt White sign post, two hours exactly to home.
Anyone remember the road warriors café. Mt White.

The Fire station Pie Shop in Union st, Newcastle was one of my favourites.

[Citroënbender]

I remember the Road Warriors café. Some of my favourite drives start up the old Highway and then George Downes Drive towards Wollombi. No good on weekends, chocked with 99%ers and often a camera car.

Suggesting that Craig approach the Central Coast via Cox’s and Munghorn Gaps might be giving him a bit too much driving though...

[roKWiz]

I don't think he wants to completely avoid Hwys like cheap did. Just drive up the old Hwy to Kariong, past Gosford Quarries at Somersby easy.

[dunga]

What about the putty road its always a fun drive

[Craig@AUDI]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

Trousers too.

Purely optional at Necknock and Nurri Nurri RSL

(*OP will fit right in!*)

:lo

[FoxtrotGolfXray 5.0]

Ok, another update. I'm heading up to Bathurst on Thursday. Threw it into google maps to see which was the best way to go. In 2015 it was through Cann River, Cooma, Canberra, Yass, Boorawra, Cowra, Bathurst.

This time round it's the same to Canberra, but then Sutton, Gunning, Gurrundah, Crookwell, Tuena, Caloola, Bathurst.

Ironically, this intersects the path that I posted at the start of this thread when going to Newcastle.

Anyone travelled the stretch from Canberra to Bathurst, as per above, recently? Will it be ok for the XR8?

[XR Martin]

Take the Taralga rd at Taralga and then get on the Abercrombie rd to go through Oberon. It's a good route.

Last time I went through Tuena to Bathurst there was 2 or 3 sections of dirt.
That was 5 or 6 years ago though.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by psychobimbo

Ok, another update. I'm heading up to Bathurst on Thursday. Threw it into google maps to see which was the best way to go. In 2015 it was through Cann River, Cooma, Canberra, Yass, Boorawra, Cowra, Bathurst.

This time round it's the same to Canberra, but then Sutton, Gunning, Gurrundah, Crookwell, Tuena, Caloola, Bathurst.

Ironically, this intersects the path that I posted at the start of this thread when going to Newcastle.

Anyone travelled the stretch from Canberra to Bathurst, as per above, recently? Will it be ok for the XR8?

If it was me I'd be sticking to the 2015 route.............but I'm a sook and hitting a roo out in the back blocks between Crookwell and Caloola with possibly no phone service would scare me.

Not to mention random banjo players

[Citroënbender]

What have you got against banjo-playing kangaroos now?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Citroënbender

What have you got against banjo-playing kangaroos now?

There's always one