NSW-Sydney-Royal National Park

Jimi · Postby **Jimi** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:08 pm

Head out from Loftus on the Princes Highway, and take the Royal National Park turn off (Farnell Ave).

Basically you just follow this road until you get to Wollongong. There are turn-offs to get to the freeway at Stanwell Tops (just near Sea Cliff Bridge), and another in the middle of the National Park that goes to Waterfall.

If you go on a weekend, don't expect a fast drive, because it's packed with family 4wds.

Best time for a drive is mid week, and especially early in the morning, and the best sections of road are the parts between the Bundeena turn off and Stanwell Tops, as there is less traffic, and the road surface is in better condition.

Also, there are a few patches of horribly repaired potholes, so watch out!

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:09 pm

mmmmmmmmmm, \"The Natio\". My local stomping ground, just a few km from home. I learnt to ride my motorbike through there many years ago. I think I know every single bump and hollow in that road. It's a great suspension test road. It just seems to get rougher and rougher, except for the freshly resealed bit at the end.

Unfortunately with all the ruccus happening on the Old Road over the last few years The Natio is getting a bit congested with the weekend warriors that used to frequent the Old Road and it wont be long before the boys in blue focus their attention down south. :frown:

sliq · Postby **sliq** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:03 am

you have to be really careful there at night. i've had a mate get into an accident with a deer or something of that nature. saw the damage on the side of his vehicle and it looked pretty nasty - repairable write off. there's also a few sweeping turns that shouldn't be underestimated too :lol:

Jimi · Postby **Jimi** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 11:45 pm

I just put together a youtube vid, showing some of the better bits.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=zFQ9yHZYi24

-Enjoy

cyreni · Postby **cyreni** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 7:44 pm

truely is a glorious road. in quiet a sate of disrepair but that helps keep the fooly sick drify kids out of the area. once you know where the bumps are you can realy start to have some fun.
if you havent dríven this road yet drive it!! truely is fun.

DaleZ · Postby **DaleZ** » Wed Aug 06, 2008 4:23 pm

watch out for the kangaroos / possums / deers / etc, at night time..... there are just heaps in the national park.... A year back, I had 2 near misses in one night...... saw one roo just after a corner, drove around it... lucky miss.... few more corners down the road, another one... this time, no room to drive around it.... braked hard..... stopped right in front of the roo.... second near miss... n the strangest thing is, the roo didn't even move a bit... as if nothing had happen....

Besides all the animals, it is a great drive.... day time or nite time....

connico · Postby **connico** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:46 am

I have dríven the RNP a few times in a few different cars. And i had quite a few near misses. I learnt from a park ranger when my mate rolled his MR2 that you can get these whistle things that you can attached to your car via the side windows that will make a noise that scare-warn the animals away. Humans can not hear the frequency of the whistle. He said that many rural farmers use them to avoid accidents.

Also we are told that most people die from avioding animals, you should try to stop or slow down as much as possible instead of trying to avoid. Its safer for you to hit then flip or drive the car off the road...

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:11 am

As I predicted last year and after a major motorcycle crash earlier this year the Fun Police are in the throws of formulating a new safety policy for the park which will entail reduced speed limits, resurfacing of some parts and a higher Police presence. *sigh*

Jimi · Postby **Jimi** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 2:34 pm

they've already resurfaced the really poor quality bits of road on the way to bundeena.. There's only a few dodgy bits left between bundeena and waterfall now

Unfortunately, the police presence is up at the moment. I drove through last week on a wednesday evening, and saw a highway patrol doing the rounds.. HOWEVER a few weeks ago I spotted 2 highway patrols racing up towards waterfall with their lights flashing (I doubt there was any emergency at waterfall that would need 2 highway patrols to attend). :roll:

Anyway, the road surface surely needs fixing.

DaleZ · Postby **DaleZ** » Fri Aug 08, 2008 5:30 pm

connico wrote:I have dríven the RNP a few times in a few different cars. And i had quite a few near misses. I learnt from a park ranger when my mate rolled his MR2 that you can get these whistle things that you can attached to your car via the side windows that will make a noise that scare-warn the animals away. Humans can not hear the frequency of the whistle. He said that many rural farmers use them to avoid accidents...

i have a pair stuck on my car.... u get a pair for under $10 at any auto stores..... so far so good.... dunno if it really work or not..... actually, dun wanna to find out.... :wink:

CoffeeBoss · Postby **CoffeeBoss** » Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:49 pm

Have had maaany a great drive through here.

The back section is also notable for frequent damp spots (on the road), as there are many spots that do not see much sun.

Notable also for finishing at Bald Hill, Stanwell Tops where you can often mingle with other car and biking enthusiasts, watch the hang-gliders, and grab a snack from the van that is often there.

On one occasion, i was even fortunate enough to ride down the awesome little twisty section to Stanwell and back in a 4AG powered PBR Clubman. Open wheelers absolutely rock.

two40 · Postby **two40** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:38 am

Last Sunday. Best to see it on Youtube itself as the video is a lot bigger. Sound isn't the best but it'll do.

Love this section of Natio. Real fun fast or slow.

edit: video goooone

Locutus · Postby **Locutus** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:07 pm

i just hit play and couldn't stop glancing at your sig while watching the video. :lol:

Old Dude · Postby **Old Dude** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:24 pm

two40 wrote:Last Sunday. Best to see it on Youtube itself as the video is a lot bigger. Sound isn't the best but it'll do.

Love this section of Natio. Real fun fast or slow.

Whilst I do enjoy the same piece of road, I dont enjoy coming across idiots like yourself coming the other way. What would possess you to overtake 4 cars at once, on the wrong side of double lines

.
You put everyone on that road at risk with your antics, and while Im sure you would say it was safe, you need to save it for the track.
Its People like you that kill innocent families, through there self indulgences. You need to grow up and grow a brain, before you kill someone.

I have been in a head on accident because some dick head did exactly what you just videoed, :evil:

and its not pretty..!!!

Old Dude