Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
May 12th 2004, 3:06 pm
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
Hi all!
Hubby and I have two weeks off in October/November of this year and we
are wanting to take a driving trip from Emerald to Melbourne via
Sydney to visit my family and also to go to the Melbourne Cup on the
2nd Nov.
Now, I've done a little research on a route and we have decided to
travel down the East Coast (Bundaberg, Maryborough, Brisbane, Sunny
Coast, Ballina, Coffs Hbr, Pt Macquarie, Newcastle, Sydney,
Woolongong, Batemans Bay, Lakes Entrance and across to Melb).
Obviously I have not listed all the towns between here and there but I
am hoping this gives you a general idea of the route down there.
As for the trip home, we'd prefer to go inland but we're not sure of
the best route to take, hence this post. I'd love to hear from anyone
who has taken this trip themselves or just knows a great route back to
Central QLD with a few sights along the way.
AP
Hubby and I have two weeks off in October/November of this year and we
are wanting to take a driving trip from Emerald to Melbourne via
Sydney to visit my family and also to go to the Melbourne Cup on the
2nd Nov.
Now, I've done a little research on a route and we have decided to
travel down the East Coast (Bundaberg, Maryborough, Brisbane, Sunny
Coast, Ballina, Coffs Hbr, Pt Macquarie, Newcastle, Sydney,
Woolongong, Batemans Bay, Lakes Entrance and across to Melb).
Obviously I have not listed all the towns between here and there but I
am hoping this gives you a general idea of the route down there.
As for the trip home, we'd prefer to go inland but we're not sure of
the best route to take, hence this post. I'd love to hear from anyone
who has taken this trip themselves or just knows a great route back to
Central QLD with a few sights along the way.
AP
May 12th 2004, 4:57 pm
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
On 12 May 2004 20:06:24 -0700, [email protected] (KnAPowell)
wrote:
>As for the trip home, we'd prefer to go inland but we're not sure of
>the best route to take, hence this post. I'd love to hear from anyone
>who has taken this trip themselves or just knows a great route back to
>Central QLD with a few sights along the way.
I did trips along the inland route many times as a kid, travelling
from central Qld or NQ to western Vic and have a very soft spot for
many of the sights along the way. If you were rushing, you could make
it from Emerald to Melbourne in two day's driving, but that would be
without stopping to take in the sights.
From Melbourne, the best thing to do would be to take the Newell
Highway route. This would take you through whichever parts of Victoria
you want to see (such as Mt. Macedon) to Deniliquin (you could stop
and check out the Murray River there or in Echuca), then up to Hay,
West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes (which has the radio tlelscope featured
in the movie "The Dish"), Dubbo (where you could see the Western
Plains Zoo), Coonabarabran (where the Warrumbungle National Park and
Siding Springs astronomical observatory are definitely worth a visit)
and Narrabri. Just to the north of Coonabarabran, and not far from the
highway, is an area called the "sawn rocks" in Mt. Kaputar National
Park. These are basalt columns that have solidified into long columns.
from there, I'd turn off from Moree to go to Mungindi and head north.
As an alternate to Coonababran, you could turn off at Gilgandra just
north of Dubbo to go to Walgett and Lightning Ridge before driving on
to Mungindi. From there it would be north through Roma and straight up
to Emerald, although you might find it nice to visit Carnarvon Gorge
if you haven't already done so before. You'll pass it as you travel
down the road between Roma and Emerald. The last timet I was there
they were still building the Roma-Emerald highway. It must be really
flash now.
You're going to like the coastal drive as well - it's very pretty,
especially on the southern NSW/east Vic border. It's a great idea to
do both the coastal and inland routes. There'll be quite a contrast
between the two.
Geodyne
wrote:
>As for the trip home, we'd prefer to go inland but we're not sure of
>the best route to take, hence this post. I'd love to hear from anyone
>who has taken this trip themselves or just knows a great route back to
>Central QLD with a few sights along the way.
I did trips along the inland route many times as a kid, travelling
from central Qld or NQ to western Vic and have a very soft spot for
many of the sights along the way. If you were rushing, you could make
it from Emerald to Melbourne in two day's driving, but that would be
without stopping to take in the sights.
From Melbourne, the best thing to do would be to take the Newell
Highway route. This would take you through whichever parts of Victoria
you want to see (such as Mt. Macedon) to Deniliquin (you could stop
and check out the Murray River there or in Echuca), then up to Hay,
West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes (which has the radio tlelscope featured
in the movie "The Dish"), Dubbo (where you could see the Western
Plains Zoo), Coonabarabran (where the Warrumbungle National Park and
Siding Springs astronomical observatory are definitely worth a visit)
and Narrabri. Just to the north of Coonabarabran, and not far from the
highway, is an area called the "sawn rocks" in Mt. Kaputar National
Park. These are basalt columns that have solidified into long columns.
from there, I'd turn off from Moree to go to Mungindi and head north.
As an alternate to Coonababran, you could turn off at Gilgandra just
north of Dubbo to go to Walgett and Lightning Ridge before driving on
to Mungindi. From there it would be north through Roma and straight up
to Emerald, although you might find it nice to visit Carnarvon Gorge
if you haven't already done so before. You'll pass it as you travel
down the road between Roma and Emerald. The last timet I was there
they were still building the Roma-Emerald highway. It must be really
flash now.
You're going to like the coastal drive as well - it's very pretty,
especially on the southern NSW/east Vic border. It's a great idea to
do both the coastal and inland routes. There'll be quite a contrast
between the two.
Geodyne
May 13th 2004, 2:40 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
Thanks a heap Geodyne! You have given us a good idea of which route to
take back home and it certainly sounds like a wonderful one!
I have travelled the Emerald - Roma road many times myself as I am
originally from the Dalby/Chinchilla area and I'm always going 'home'
for one reason or another. AFAIK, the road is still under construction
but I doubt it's the same section as you mentioned (although, it does
seem to take them forever!!).
I would like to take a few days to travel down and back and not rush
the trip in two days. We are going to the Melbourne Cup on the 2nd
November so I figure if we leave on the 23rd October, that should give
us plenty of time to sight-see on the way down. As for coming home, if
we left on the 4th November, that would give us 4 days to get home
before heading back to work on Monday (*groan*).
Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
along the way.
Geodyne <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>. ..
> On 12 May 2004 20:06:24 -0700, [email protected] (KnAPowell)
> wrote:
> >As for the trip home, we'd prefer to go inland but we're not sure of
> >the best route to take, hence this post. I'd love to hear from anyone
> >who has taken this trip themselves or just knows a great route back to
> >Central QLD with a few sights along the way.
> >
> I did trips along the inland route many times as a kid, travelling
> from central Qld or NQ to western Vic and have a very soft spot for
> many of the sights along the way. If you were rushing, you could make
> it from Emerald to Melbourne in two day's driving, but that would be
> without stopping to take in the sights.
>
> From Melbourne, the best thing to do would be to take the Newell
> Highway route. This would take you through whichever parts of Victoria
> you want to see (such as Mt. Macedon) to Deniliquin (you could stop
> and check out the Murray River there or in Echuca), then up to Hay,
> West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes (which has the radio tlelscope featured
> in the movie "The Dish"), Dubbo (where you could see the Western
> Plains Zoo), Coonabarabran (where the Warrumbungle National Park and
> Siding Springs astronomical observatory are definitely worth a visit)
> and Narrabri. Just to the north of Coonabarabran, and not far from the
> highway, is an area called the "sawn rocks" in Mt. Kaputar National
> Park. These are basalt columns that have solidified into long columns.
>
> from there, I'd turn off from Moree to go to Mungindi and head north.
> As an alternate to Coonababran, you could turn off at Gilgandra just
> north of Dubbo to go to Walgett and Lightning Ridge before driving on
> to Mungindi. From there it would be north through Roma and straight up
> to Emerald, although you might find it nice to visit Carnarvon Gorge
> if you haven't already done so before. You'll pass it as you travel
> down the road between Roma and Emerald. The last timet I was there
> they were still building the Roma-Emerald highway. It must be really
> flash now.
>
> You're going to like the coastal drive as well - it's very pretty,
> especially on the southern NSW/east Vic border. It's a great idea to
> do both the coastal and inland routes. There'll be quite a contrast
> between the two.
>
> Geodyne
take back home and it certainly sounds like a wonderful one!
I have travelled the Emerald - Roma road many times myself as I am
originally from the Dalby/Chinchilla area and I'm always going 'home'
for one reason or another. AFAIK, the road is still under construction
but I doubt it's the same section as you mentioned (although, it does
seem to take them forever!!).
I would like to take a few days to travel down and back and not rush
the trip in two days. We are going to the Melbourne Cup on the 2nd
November so I figure if we leave on the 23rd October, that should give
us plenty of time to sight-see on the way down. As for coming home, if
we left on the 4th November, that would give us 4 days to get home
before heading back to work on Monday (*groan*).
Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
along the way.
Geodyne <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>. ..
> On 12 May 2004 20:06:24 -0700, [email protected] (KnAPowell)
> wrote:
> >As for the trip home, we'd prefer to go inland but we're not sure of
> >the best route to take, hence this post. I'd love to hear from anyone
> >who has taken this trip themselves or just knows a great route back to
> >Central QLD with a few sights along the way.
> >
> I did trips along the inland route many times as a kid, travelling
> from central Qld or NQ to western Vic and have a very soft spot for
> many of the sights along the way. If you were rushing, you could make
> it from Emerald to Melbourne in two day's driving, but that would be
> without stopping to take in the sights.
>
> From Melbourne, the best thing to do would be to take the Newell
> Highway route. This would take you through whichever parts of Victoria
> you want to see (such as Mt. Macedon) to Deniliquin (you could stop
> and check out the Murray River there or in Echuca), then up to Hay,
> West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes (which has the radio tlelscope featured
> in the movie "The Dish"), Dubbo (where you could see the Western
> Plains Zoo), Coonabarabran (where the Warrumbungle National Park and
> Siding Springs astronomical observatory are definitely worth a visit)
> and Narrabri. Just to the north of Coonabarabran, and not far from the
> highway, is an area called the "sawn rocks" in Mt. Kaputar National
> Park. These are basalt columns that have solidified into long columns.
>
> from there, I'd turn off from Moree to go to Mungindi and head north.
> As an alternate to Coonababran, you could turn off at Gilgandra just
> north of Dubbo to go to Walgett and Lightning Ridge before driving on
> to Mungindi. From there it would be north through Roma and straight up
> to Emerald, although you might find it nice to visit Carnarvon Gorge
> if you haven't already done so before. You'll pass it as you travel
> down the road between Roma and Emerald. The last timet I was there
> they were still building the Roma-Emerald highway. It must be really
> flash now.
>
> You're going to like the coastal drive as well - it's very pretty,
> especially on the southern NSW/east Vic border. It's a great idea to
> do both the coastal and inland routes. There'll be quite a contrast
> between the two.
>
> Geodyne
May 16th 2004, 4:45 am
#4
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Location: Ples bilong mi
Posts: 523
Re: Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
[QUOTE]Originally posted by KnAPowell
Thanks a heap Geodyne! You have given us a good idea of which route to
take back home and it certainly sounds like a wonderful one!
Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
along the way.
If you are referring to going straight down the coast and around into Melbourne that way, take more than 4 days !!!
Look @ at least 5 - 7 days for that trip. It is winding and scenic.
Down through Qld you get Sugar country and in northern NSW its the same then into Banana country. The Glasshouse mountains north of Brisbane are worth a look. Mt Warning around Murwillimbah is also worth that look.
For NSW travel have a look @ http://www.travelmate.com.au/MapMaker/MapMaker.asp There are probably others but it is just after midnight WST :-)
The hills out the back of Byron bay on the highway are extremely scenic.
Detour to Lismore @ Bangalow and come out @ Ballina via Alstonville (no relation to that odious senator, thank God) You will travel through what I reckon is God's own country
Grafton area is tremendous. As an historical aside, you can turn off the Pacific Highway just before Grafton and go via Maclean. This is where john howard spent his childhood and you will then understand why he is like he is. Time seems to have stood still in Maclean.
Continuing down the coast you go through the large river valleys with the Great Dividing range in the background. You can detour @ Taree and go to Newcastle via Wingham and Gloucester. It is very scenic in that it goes through the mountains and some inland coastal valleys. See the URL above for details.
Newcastle through Sydney to the southern suburbs - get a set of maps from your State motoring organisation. Sydney isn't that bad. If you can handle QLD (or WA) drivers, just think a lot faster :-)
When you come out of Sydney, around Menai (from memory) detour to the left via the Royal national Park (one of the first in the world). Its fairly nondescript but if you live in Sydney, its the real thing as far as wilderness is concerned :-))
Whilst going through it you will meet the usual NSW grab for $ somewhere, tell 'em you are from QLD and travelling through and don't intend to stay. Make sure you take the road that brings you out @ Stanwell Heights (check that map you got from RACQ) You emerge through an overhanging tunnel of trees to a lookout that is well above sea level and looks down across the Illawarra coast. That is fairly mindblowing.
Just south of Woollongong take the road off to the right to Robertson. Do this on a clear day. This goes up the Illawara Highway up the escarpment. This incredible.
Continue down to Canberra and go out via Bungendore to Batemans Bay. Here you go back down the escarpment. That too is very scenic - make that a day trip. Or if you want to take you time go to Maruya via Captains Flat and the Araluen Valley.
Past Moruya check out Tuross Head. Especially check the old part of town and the views from the Lake back up to the mountains.
Tilba is just south of Tuross and it is quite touristy
Further down the coast @ Narooma and just outside the town is/was a road marked for Bellbirds. Go there and stop the car and absorb.
The Coastal trip is quite good down to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria. That is worth a look.
From there you swing inland and travel stright up to Melbourne travelling through East Sale (RAAF Roulettes), and Traralgon and the former large brown coal producing valleys.
Its a scenic trip but a long one.
Thanks a heap Geodyne! You have given us a good idea of which route to
take back home and it certainly sounds like a wonderful one!
Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
along the way.
If you are referring to going straight down the coast and around into Melbourne that way, take more than 4 days !!!
Look @ at least 5 - 7 days for that trip. It is winding and scenic.
Down through Qld you get Sugar country and in northern NSW its the same then into Banana country. The Glasshouse mountains north of Brisbane are worth a look. Mt Warning around Murwillimbah is also worth that look.
For NSW travel have a look @ http://www.travelmate.com.au/MapMaker/MapMaker.asp There are probably others but it is just after midnight WST :-)
The hills out the back of Byron bay on the highway are extremely scenic.
Detour to Lismore @ Bangalow and come out @ Ballina via Alstonville (no relation to that odious senator, thank God) You will travel through what I reckon is God's own country
Grafton area is tremendous. As an historical aside, you can turn off the Pacific Highway just before Grafton and go via Maclean. This is where john howard spent his childhood and you will then understand why he is like he is. Time seems to have stood still in Maclean.
Continuing down the coast you go through the large river valleys with the Great Dividing range in the background. You can detour @ Taree and go to Newcastle via Wingham and Gloucester. It is very scenic in that it goes through the mountains and some inland coastal valleys. See the URL above for details.
Newcastle through Sydney to the southern suburbs - get a set of maps from your State motoring organisation. Sydney isn't that bad. If you can handle QLD (or WA) drivers, just think a lot faster :-)
When you come out of Sydney, around Menai (from memory) detour to the left via the Royal national Park (one of the first in the world). Its fairly nondescript but if you live in Sydney, its the real thing as far as wilderness is concerned :-))
Whilst going through it you will meet the usual NSW grab for $ somewhere, tell 'em you are from QLD and travelling through and don't intend to stay. Make sure you take the road that brings you out @ Stanwell Heights (check that map you got from RACQ) You emerge through an overhanging tunnel of trees to a lookout that is well above sea level and looks down across the Illawarra coast. That is fairly mindblowing.
Just south of Woollongong take the road off to the right to Robertson. Do this on a clear day. This goes up the Illawara Highway up the escarpment. This incredible.
Continue down to Canberra and go out via Bungendore to Batemans Bay. Here you go back down the escarpment. That too is very scenic - make that a day trip. Or if you want to take you time go to Maruya via Captains Flat and the Araluen Valley.
Past Moruya check out Tuross Head. Especially check the old part of town and the views from the Lake back up to the mountains.
Tilba is just south of Tuross and it is quite touristy
Further down the coast @ Narooma and just outside the town is/was a road marked for Bellbirds. Go there and stop the car and absorb.
The Coastal trip is quite good down to the Gippsland Lakes in Victoria. That is worth a look.
From there you swing inland and travel stright up to Melbourne travelling through East Sale (RAAF Roulettes), and Traralgon and the former large brown coal producing valleys.
Its a scenic trip but a long one.
May 19th 2004, 9:53 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
KnAPowell wrote:
>Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
>Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
>along the way.
We live in Airlie Beach and have done the coast road as far as Sydney
several times in recent years, but it's been a long time since we went
down to Melbourne by the coast.
Mind you, it takes us three days to get to Brisbane, because we don't
drive long days and we stop and look at stuff along the way. (The
first day gets us to Rocky, so you won't have that bit to cover.) We
then take three days from Brisbane to Sydney, though we could do it in
two days if necessary. Sydney to Melbourne by the coast road would
take us three days or more, again because we'd do a lot of stopping
and sightseeing.
A report of one of our trips between Sydney and Airlie Beach (the one
when we moved up here from Sydney) begins here:
http://www.avalook.com.au/eastcoast/ebltrip98/index.htm
Yow! We've been here six years! Amazing.
Jean
>Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
>Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
>along the way.
We live in Airlie Beach and have done the coast road as far as Sydney
several times in recent years, but it's been a long time since we went
down to Melbourne by the coast.
Mind you, it takes us three days to get to Brisbane, because we don't
drive long days and we stop and look at stuff along the way. (The
first day gets us to Rocky, so you won't have that bit to cover.) We
then take three days from Brisbane to Sydney, though we could do it in
two days if necessary. Sydney to Melbourne by the coast road would
take us three days or more, again because we'd do a lot of stopping
and sightseeing.
A report of one of our trips between Sydney and Airlie Beach (the one
when we moved up here from Sydney) begins here:
http://www.avalook.com.au/eastcoast/ebltrip98/index.htm
Yow! We've been here six years! Amazing.
Jean
May 20th 2004, 5:16 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Travelling from Central QLD to Melbourne via Sydney
On 13 May 2004 19:40:35 -0700, [email protected] (KnAPowell)
wrote:
>Thanks a heap Geodyne! You have given us a good idea of which route to
>take back home and it certainly sounds like a wonderful one!
You're welcome :-) It's one I've done many, many times in my life.
>Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
>Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
>along the way.
Driving direct , 10-12 hour days without stopping from central Qld
down the inland highway, you're looking at 2 1/2 days down the inland
route (it's 30 hours non-stop from Mackay to SW Victoria, for
example). You'd want at least 4 days for the coastal route - one to
southern Qld, one to the central NSW coast, another to the Vic Border
and a fourth for the drive to Melbourne. Factor in another day for
sightseeing.
I'm guessing that from Emerald you'd head across to Rocky before
heading south. From there it may be worth driving to the Sunshine
Coast on the first day and hanging around there (the aquarium at
Maroochydore is worth a visit). If you don't want to stop in Brisbane
you could go straight through and spend the next night on the Gold
Coast or in the Border Ranges National Park, in the GC hinterland -
check out Binna Burra or O'Reilleys resorts if you're interested in
that.
Alternatively, you could drive to Byron Bay and check that out. I'm
not that keen on the township myself, but the beaches are lovely.
While the Byron bay Beach Club was controversial when it ws built
(people really didn't want a Club Med in the area), it's a nice place
for an overnight stay if you enjoy wandering the beach.
Further south from there, you might like to stopping in places like
Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie or Forster if you want to see some more
beach, or drive from the north of NSW to Taree and then inland to the
Barrington Tops NP. You could also do a slight deviation from
Newcastle and visit the Hunter Valley.
The drive along the Pacific Highway, down the south coast of NSW and
into Victoria is one of my favourite. Places worth considering to vist
along the way are Kiama (which has blowholes), Jervis Bay (but be
prepared to pay a park access fee) and Ulladulla. I've never liked
Batemans Bay as much as many people seem to do - it's a bit too
sommercial for my tastes these days. However if you were at Batemans
Bay you might like to consider a side trip inland to Braidwood, which
is a charming old heritage village.
There's not a huge amount to see between Narooma/Bega and Lakes
Entrance, but it's a really pretty drive that I recommend doing. The
last time that I did it, it was night time and pouring with rain (we
had to cut short a camping trip due to the rain) and despite that, it
was still an enjoyable drive.
As a last suggestion, do try to find the time to check out Wilson's
Promontory and Phillip Island while you're down there.
Cheers,
Geodyne
wrote:
>Thanks a heap Geodyne! You have given us a good idea of which route to
>take back home and it certainly sounds like a wonderful one!
You're welcome :-) It's one I've done many, many times in my life.
>Has anybody taken the coastal route from Central or North QLD to
>Victoria? I'd love to know how long it took and what sights there were
>along the way.
Driving direct , 10-12 hour days without stopping from central Qld
down the inland highway, you're looking at 2 1/2 days down the inland
route (it's 30 hours non-stop from Mackay to SW Victoria, for
example). You'd want at least 4 days for the coastal route - one to
southern Qld, one to the central NSW coast, another to the Vic Border
and a fourth for the drive to Melbourne. Factor in another day for
sightseeing.
I'm guessing that from Emerald you'd head across to Rocky before
heading south. From there it may be worth driving to the Sunshine
Coast on the first day and hanging around there (the aquarium at
Maroochydore is worth a visit). If you don't want to stop in Brisbane
you could go straight through and spend the next night on the Gold
Coast or in the Border Ranges National Park, in the GC hinterland -
check out Binna Burra or O'Reilleys resorts if you're interested in
that.
Alternatively, you could drive to Byron Bay and check that out. I'm
not that keen on the township myself, but the beaches are lovely.
While the Byron bay Beach Club was controversial when it ws built
(people really didn't want a Club Med in the area), it's a nice place
for an overnight stay if you enjoy wandering the beach.
Further south from there, you might like to stopping in places like
Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie or Forster if you want to see some more
beach, or drive from the north of NSW to Taree and then inland to the
Barrington Tops NP. You could also do a slight deviation from
Newcastle and visit the Hunter Valley.
The drive along the Pacific Highway, down the south coast of NSW and
into Victoria is one of my favourite. Places worth considering to vist
along the way are Kiama (which has blowholes), Jervis Bay (but be
prepared to pay a park access fee) and Ulladulla. I've never liked
Batemans Bay as much as many people seem to do - it's a bit too
sommercial for my tastes these days. However if you were at Batemans
Bay you might like to consider a side trip inland to Braidwood, which
is a charming old heritage village.
There's not a huge amount to see between Narooma/Bega and Lakes
Entrance, but it's a really pretty drive that I recommend doing. The
last time that I did it, it was night time and pouring with rain (we
had to cut short a camping trip due to the rain) and despite that, it
was still an enjoyable drive.
As a last suggestion, do try to find the time to check out Wilson's
Promontory and Phillip Island while you're down there.
Cheers,
Geodyne
