Only go the Pacific if you REALLY need to go that way. Some nice spots but parts of the road north of Newcastle are really dangerous. We have done both routes in both directions in the past few years and the Newell is the way to go, safer and quicker.
Even though it is longer in distance, I prefer the inland option as well. Travelled to the MotoGP at Phillip Island twice via motorcycle from Brisbane. I have used both coast and inland routes. I would rather deal with the odd kangaroo that the city drivers.
Having travelled the Newell when I lived in wagga & visited relatives in Brisbane it's as boring as crap but the quickest..keep in mind if she is scared of big trucks road trains being all over her this isn't the best route, Kangas a around in the evening also.
To break it up I would either go Newell to Dubbo then head off to gunnedah thru tam worth armidale to Warwick (this 5 hr stretch is bait more interesting )
Or take the ballarat to western ring rd take the Hume to wagga, then turn off to temora etc then continue up the Newell the inland way
How many days will she plan on driving & where does she plan on stopping (we used to do the wagga/bris run in a day butits a damn long day)
Ons econd droughts just save money & fly..with petrol prices its cheaper to fly
I would take Albury, Wagga, Temora, Forbes, then Parkes, Dubbo etc as above me and hubby drove that way and i think by memory we stopped at Narrabri over night.
Then same route on the way back but be stopped at Parkes overnight and saw the dish all lit up !
Rather than going Toowoomba, Ipswich, Brisbane.
Think about just before Ipswich, go Esk, Kilcoy, Caboolture, then north.
It will miss all the ipswich, brisbane traffic. Not sure on times and distance though.
I'd probably go via Bendigo, Deniliquin, Forbes, Dubbo, Narrabri, and Toowoomba, but with the flood situation around places like Lockhart and Forbes at the moment, Bendigo, Sheparton, West Wyalong, Cowra, Dubbo, Gunnedah, Tamworth and up the New England might be better.
Either way she'll have a lot of trucks sharing the road.
When is she going? It's a tad wet out west at the moment. The Hay Plains are now the Hay Lakes - never heard so many frogs. Yesterday morning we were stopped at Darlington Point and told that to get to Wollongong we would have to go via either Albury or Bathurst (we chose the former). The situation in the Riverina will only get worse later this week. At Gundagai the Murrumbidgee is a sheet of water kms wide. So, if she is traveling soon she may have very limited options.
That's a long way in anybodies language, inexperienced or experienced driver. Not to be taken lightly. Your daughter should really think carefully about this. Does she really have to drive? The flood situation is only going to add to the difficulty whichever route is taken as traffic will be diverted.
Hi Ken,
If your daughter is staying in QLD might I suggest that you investigate rail freighting her car (you may be suprised at the cost) and purchasing a cheap air fare.
Greg.
As H pointed out, the Pacific highway is notorious, and after dark, is a truckers racetrack, particularly north of Sydney. I've travelled the Pacific highway en route to Astrofest many times, the kindest words I could use to describe the truck drivers is reckless, discourteous and dangerous. I found the traffic on the Newell highway to be slower and quite sparse in comparison, the trucks I did enounter were travelling slower and were more mindful of other road users.
Last edited by acropolite; 05-03-2012 at 10:06 PM.
Ive done the Melbourne - Sydney run too many times as well as the Sydney Brisbane run and I would avoid the Pacific Hwy north of Hexham (where the F3 ends)
Depending on when she is leaving and the flood situation, I would recommend avoiding the western side of the ranges due to the risk of getting stuck....
Basically, A300 to Benalla, onto the Hume, follow that to Sydney, get onto the M7 (toll road- but you can pay over the phone if she has no tag), joins M2 (toll also), exit at pennant hills road, stay at motel that night (Formule 1 at thornleigh or another motel in Hornsby). Head north next day via F3 ALL the way to the end. Head towards Brisbane via the New England Highway to Toowoomba and head via North West of Brisbane as shown on the attached map.
Hume Highway is the safest and quickest way from Melbourne to Sydney and the M7/M2 bypass of Sydney is quite quick and well worth it, you wont get too much traffic.
This takes about 8-9 hours with stops at Albury & Goulburn as a suggestion to get to Sydney, so this is a good place to stop for the night. Heading north the next morning from Pennant Hills Road avoids a LOT of peak hour traffic and you are basically out of Sydney proper in 10-15 mins in the morning.
Go via New England Hwy as its a safer road, but not sure of the best places to stop for revive-survive as I normally use the Pacific Hwy.
Hope this helps, its longer, but I would say its easier, less chance of flood blockages and much much better for less experienced drivers, although she should always keep alert. Stops at Maccas are always easier and a good place for rest stops, coffee and a walk around.
Im not sure of the Toowoomba - Mooloolaba section, i just pushed it around Brisbane proper to avoid the traffic.
Hope this helps. I've linked the google maps directions I made in the picture below
As far as flying up and where she will be staying?
She is moving there and taking her car with her, and already has a house to move into.
As to 'when'?
This coming Saturday.
Considering putting the car on a train?
Good suggestion, except that everything she owns will be in her car. She wants her belongings with her.
How long for the trip?
She is happy to spend 3 days driving up.
Internet or map?
We checked the maps. I was hoping to get answers from those that have done the trip and can suggest which way is better, not how to get there. I have only used the Hume, and can't tell her what the other ways are like.
Thanks to everyone's replies it certainly sounds like she would be safer using the Newell and Brendans suggestion of turning off just before Ipswich, and going via Esk and Kilcoy sounds good, but then head through Beerwah and Landsborough maybe.
The Newell, Ken, no question. I've done the Melbourne Bundaberg run several times and love that route. But, at the moment I'm not sure it is open, given the flooding.
