Brisbane to Canberra

[xen]

Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum (obviously).

I am driving from Brisbane to Canberra, over 2 and a bit days.
Leaving brisbane about 7pm Friday, and need to be in Canberra Sunday before midnight.
So that's a 16hour drive on the highways, but I am looking for a more interesting / fun route.

Does anyone know some roads heading south that are good roads to drive?
Or even better know an entire fun route?

I have a GPS, so I can should be pretty easy to find the roads.

[Range Runner]

Try Hwy 13 through Beaudesert & over the Border Range to Kyogle. You've a choice of interesting Nthn NSW back roads from there to Grafton. Through Nimbin & Lismore,is probably the best known (& signposted) so I'd stick to that. There are good ways from Grafton back up to the New England Tablelands. But most are quite rough, & involve a bit of dirt. So I'd stick to the Pacific Hwy for the 80 klm crawl to Coffs Harbour. Because 20 klms south of there you can turn off for Bellingen, & the sublime Dorigo Range (do this one twice). Then it's back to Armidale, & the New England Hwy (otherwise known as the NSW Govt Cash Cow)
Now if it was me, coz I'm more interested in finding good roads to drive, than finding the shortest route from A to B; I'd take Hwy 34 back down the coast to Macquarie Harbour. Then turn off Hwy 1 at Tarree to explore The Barrington Tops. This unfortunately brings you too close to Newcastle, so I'd go back up the New England Hwy to Singleton, so I could take the Putty Rd to the Blaxland Ridge Rd, which crosses the Blue Mountains to Lithgow. There's a few ways south to Goulburn from there, but I've only been as far as the Jenolan Caves, so I don't know what the roads are like from there. But I've been on some nice drives through the southern highlands from Goulburn To Canberra too. So you don't have to stay on the boring old highway. Mind you, if you do all that, you'll need more like a week than just a couple of days. & you'll cover nearly twice the distance than the shortest route. But hey, you're in a MX5. So you're looking for a bit of fun. Right? Well that sure would be a fun drive in a 5
PS if you're looking for a good drive while down in Canberra, take the road to Bateman's Bay, then head south to Bermagui. Head back up into the hills at Bega, climbing over Brown's Mountain to Cooma, then back to Canberra. One of the best day-drives in Oz.

[dingmaz]

If you go the coastal route---
Putty Road springs to mind--between Singleton and Windsor
Also from Grafton go through Glenreagh and Nana Glen to Coffs
And from Mittagong go to Mossvale then Bundanoon to Talong then to Marulen
From Goulburn go to Tarago then Bungendore

[xen]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I'll plot them into google maps, and see what I come up with.

[xen]

I've plotted out a way from Brisbane to Canberra based on recommendations from both of you.

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=d&sour ... 753418&z=6

What do you think?

I might not actually do that route, depending on how long it takes, how tired I am, and what time I end up leaving Brisbane.

Are there any chances you would make? or anything I missed that's along the way?

thanks for the advice, should be a fun and interesting drive.

[dingmaz]

Zen

Sorry for non reply, was absent from ACT. How did your trip go?--I noticed that your proposed route added about 6 hours driving time over "straight up the coast route". Came back from Newcastle yesterday was pleased to use the F3, M7 and the Hume and Federal highways--but although quick generally smooth and easy they can be boring but safe at 110k.

[xen]

Hey ding,

The drive back was really good, it added a lot of time. But because it was enjoyable and spread of 3 days. It didn't feel very long at all. I've done a write up about it here: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=39985