[beerman]

Hello all,

I am going to embark on an epic journey soon;

Bris to Syd stay 3 nights

Syd to Melb (overnight stay 4 nights Melb)

Melb to Bris direct.

I had the route fairly settled until the misses brought up taking the New England rather than the Pacific to Sydney.

I am leaving at 2am so traffic to Coffs shouldn't be too bad (if I take the coast road).

Any intel on whats going on with either route for road works and the like? Any suggestions on which route is best (More than likley no matter which way I go it will result in some form of massive delay  )

[Ultralights]

The coast road is speed camera he'll, the new englad is just a speed camera nightmare, unless you want scenery, take the new England. On the way back from Melbourne to brisvegas go via the mitchel, but during daylight hours unless your comfortable with every other vehicle being a B double.
 Also try to drive in your normal waking hours to lessen the chance of fatigue, I have done syd to bris numerous times, usually 12 hrs non stop, leave at 6 am. Or 14 hr from syd to sunshine coast.  Unless your usually wide awake after 2 am during normal life, I wouldn't recommend it.

[Surferdude]

I gave up on all the inland routes years ago. I find them boring.
The Pacific Highway doesn't suffer too many delays these days unless it's durimg school holidays or public holidays and don't forget the Southern States celebrate Labour Day in October not May.

[beerman]

The coast road is speed camera he'll, the new englad is just a speed camera nightmare, unless you want scenery, take the new England. On the way back from Melbourne to brisvegas go via the mitchel, but during daylight hours unless your comfortable with every other vehicle being a B double.
 Also try to drive in your normal waking hours to lessen the chance of fatigue, I have done syd to bris numerous times, usually 12 hrs non stop, leave at 6 am. Or 14 hr from syd to sunshine coast.  Unless your usually wide awake after 2 am during normal life, I wouldn't recommend it.

Thanks for the tips. I'm a shift worker and used to doing night work (and will finish work 22 hours before I depart, I normally do an 10p-6a with an hour drive either side, so no worries going to Sydney at 2am following 8 hours of kip won't be too taxing.

[Dazzler]

I knew a girl in Port Macquarie once...oh, you mean driving..never mind 

[rustynutz]

Last time I drove down from Townsville to South Gippsland (Victoria) I went via the coast and it drove me crazy with the constant changes of speed due to roadworks every few k's and the constant speeding up and slowing down for towns.

it's also quite a bit further travelling via the coast...

I'd recommend travelling inland where you can maintain higher average speeds, especially if you mainly just want to get from point A to point B.

Oh, and you don't have to worry about Labour Day in Victoria, we celebrate that in March....

[Doggie 1]

I knew a girl in Port Macquarie once...oh, you mean driving..never mind 

To quote Mr Humphreys, "You're a very naughty boy." 

[neptune]

I knew a girl in Port Macquarie once...oh, you mean driving..never mind 

..

and now is Trish asking questions....

[beerman]

Since I'm going inland on the way back, I am leaning to doing the coast road on the way down, just to keep things interesting.

[druggist]

I'd say the Pacific beats the New England hands down.

In the 1970s it was worth doing the New England even if you were going to the Gold Coast from Sydney but the Pacific has improved dramatically, and the New England has really stayed pretty much the same as it always was.

If you choose the New England I would look at going via Cessnock, take the turn off from the F3 at Freemans Waterhole. Probably saves 30 minutes.

The other possibility is Thunderbolts Way through Stroud and up to Uralla and rejoin the New England.

A beaut driving road with lots of windy bits and plenty of scenery.

These days the Pacific is great till almost Taree, a bit messy from south of Coffs to Grafton then great again from Byron to Brisbane.

[Ultralights]

The other possibility is Thunderbolts Way through Stroud and up to Uralla and rejoin the New England.

Now THAT is a good piece of road!   

[beerman]

I'm just looking forward to getting some serious miles into the I30 (not that it isn't already doing well with 38k up).

In researching the various routes it has been surprising to read various forums where the big 6 cylinder cars talking about where to take on fuel. No problems with that in the I30 


 

[beerman]

The other possibility is Thunderbolts Way through Stroud and up to Uralla and rejoin the New England.

Now THAT is a good piece of road!

Not with two young kids its not

[Lakes]

I used to always use the New england, but these day's the coast road is quicker. you have 110kph speed limit most of the way on coast,  but new england fastest speed limit is 100kph  110kph is fast enough also get good economy & do the trip briz to syd on one tank so no need to stop if you don't want to. Syd to melb via coast is nice  just after i think just south of Narooma you don't see the coast but great road. i did syd to near  Melb on 44L to fill right up then came back up the HWY the hwy much faster but use more fuel, was a lot of road work on last trip i done. but was mid week, i think weekends have less road work. but it's almost an express way all the way now .  i'm sure you will have a great time. if your not planing to stop in syd take the F3 to the end then down pennant hills road take the M2 then the M7 they are linked & toll but fast, the M7 links to the hwy south and after you hit the M2 no traffic lights most of the way just if you do this route make sure if your low on fuel fill b4 the M2 as no servo's on M2 M7. have a safe enjoyable trip.

[Lakes]

I'm just looking forward to getting some serious miles into the I30 (not that it isn't already doing well with 38k up).

In researching the various routes it has been surprising to read various forums where the big 6 cylinder cars talking about where to take on fuel. No problems with that in the I30 


 

so true! i think a few memers have done the melb to briz trip one guy mentioned he went from melb to briz with one fill. would be easy as up middle melb to syd only about 800 or 900k the syd to briz only about 1,100 k. but coast syd to melb was 1,050k or close
hope weather great for you

[Lakes]

Rusty, the inland higher speeds was true, but the last few trips i've done inland in the last month or so lot of hwyway petrols with radars the good thing is they stop you, speed camera's don't stop you & you don't know till later you were booked. it's not nice getting booked at all but better if they let you know. also my advice inland NSW don't speed stick to the posted limit or risk a fine. i think posted limit plus 10% might be ok just no faster. also most towns 50kph so watch that as 30kph plus over speed limit they can sometimes lock you up

[rustynutz]

Rusty, the inland higher speeds was true, but the last few trips i've done inland in the last month or so lot of hwyway petrols with radars the good thing is they stop you, speed camera's don't stop you & you don't know till later you were booked. it's not nice getting booked at all but better if they let you know. also my advice inland NSW don't speed stick to the posted limit or risk a fine. i think posted limit plus 10% might be ok just no faster. also most towns 50kph so watch that as 30kph plus over speed limit they can sometimes lock you up

I'm with you, Lakes, I'd much rather have the Highway Patrol out there than speed cameras. At least the HP have some discretion as to whether they nab you for a few k's over too, unlike a speed camera...

Oh, and get done for 25kph over the speed limit in Oz and you've lost your licence. And take notice of those 40kph roadwork limits too, they're in force whether there's anyone working or not....