Looking for best route...

[dmdigital]

Trying to plan a trip down to Melbourne & back later in the year. It's going to be a quick drive down to extend the time to get back with a new off-road camper trailer in tow.

What's the best (quickest) route to get from Port Augusta to Ballarat?

I'm thinking I don't want to go through the outskirts of Adelaide but then that's probably still the quickest way.

Anyone down that way can give me a few helpful suggestions :confused:

Hmmm ... should have thought more about the title!

[incisor]

i use the racq site it allows you to do a heap of things in the advanced trip planner...

[mightgeta4be]

If you want to by pass the built up areas of Adelaide and suburbs all togeather. Try this route:
Port Augusta to Port Wakefield , Balaklava, Hamely Bridge, Freeling, Nuriootpa, Angaston, Sedan, Murray bridge.
From Murray Bridge head to Tailem Bend, Coonalpyn, Bordertown, Horsham, Ararat through to Ballerat. Its a long drive and would allow two days with a stop in Nuriootpa (wine capital of Australia) good Caravan Park

[dmdigital]

Thanks for that. Pretty much have to go from Murry Bridge as you describe. I'll look into the first part you suggested.

[Tango51]

Looking for best route...

Hasn't that got me a slap in the moosh at a pub dance or two....

(when I was much younger and graceless)

[EchiDna]

from: australia, port augusta to: australia, ballarat - Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=australia,+port+augusta&daddr=australia,+ballarat&sll=-35.021371,140.806414&sspn=5.846863,14.611816&ie=UTF8&ll=-35.038992,140.822754&spn=5.845578,14.611816&t=h&z=7)

got to go a fair way further to dodge adelaide...

from: australia, port augusta to: australia, ballarat - Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=australia,+port+augusta&daddr=australia,+ballarat&mra=cc&dirflg=h&sll=-35.012002,140.965576&sspn=5.847505,14.611816&ie=UTF8&ll=-32.861132,143.02002&spn=11.984103,29.223633&t=h&z=6)

via mildura...

[dmdigital]

EchiDna

That first link is what seems to be the best option. Skirting Adelaide by taking the major arterial roads seems the quickest. If I go further north I'm left with back tracking down to Bordertown or coming down from Mildura. More km's that I don't need:mad:

[BigJon]

I would think taking the same route that the trucks take would still be quickest.
Port Wakefield Road, around to Portrush Road and up the SE Freeway.
Time taken from the outskirts of Adelaide in the north to the outskirts of Adelaide in the east is likekly to be only 45 minutes to an hour.
Of course, those times would be extended during rush hour.

[mightgeta4be]

By taking the truck route into town as described above is a shocker in peak traffic times. It is only trucks leaving Adelaide that would take that route. The route I described in my earlier post is still a truck route but saves having to go all the way into Adelaide suburbs, traffic lights etc. Is all good country roads and will save you time in the long run