Cristmas traffic through Tweed (QLD)??

You're in my patch!

Gold Coast to Bega? Beaudesert - Rathdowney - Kyogle - Casino - Grafton
It's the Summerland Way. The Lions Road is a short cut but is slow and windy and up and down (but lots of fun in the daylight and watch out for wildlife and idiots -it's a one laner for many stretches) I drive it often and its not a highway, and it's not recommended for anyone with a tow.....
but a quick way out of QLD to Grafton.....

or head s/west to Tenterfield and down the New England, bugger all traffic on that road these days....every tourist wants to be on the appalling Pacific Highway (just wait til you get Brunswick Heads, the delays are hours long in summer).....

GQ

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Originally Posted by Quiggers

You're in my patch!

Gold Coast to Bega? Beaudesert - Rathdowney - Kyogle - Casino - Grafton
It's the Summerland Way. The Lions Road is a short cut but is slow and windy and up and down (but lots of fun in the daylight and watch out for wildlife and idiots -it's a one laner for many stretches) I drive it often and its not a highway, and it's not recommended for anyone with a tow.....
but a quick way out of QLD to Grafton.....

or head s/west to Tenterfield and down the New England, bugger all traffic on that road these days....every tourist wants to be on the appalling Pacific Highway (just wait til you get Brunswick Heads, the delays are hours long in summer).....

GQ

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GQ,

The Beaudesert route sounds like the go. But one question. When you get to Rathdowny do you take the Running Creek road (I think) down to Kyogle?? And I can't find Lions Road? where is it and is it really that bad an option, especially at night??

cheers to the road
Jimmy

Dont go via Rathdowney-Kyogle-Grafton. This keeps you on the Pacific Highway with all the traffic congestion and caravan terrorist traffic through Coffs, Port, etc., Go through Boonah to Aratula and the Cunningham and New England Highways to Singleton and then via the Putty Rd. to Windsor. Cuts out Sydney completely.

Yep steer clear of the caravans on the Pacific, PITA, limited overtaking.
The road to Tenterfield was still good dirt for quite a stretch last time I was down that way, but it was good enough to sit on 80k+ if that's your bag. watch out for skips of course at night. FYI the Lions rd turnoff is about 5 or so k short of Rathdowney- take the Innisplain rd just before the Mt Lindsay hwy crosses the old interstate rail.

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Originally Posted by Numpty's Missus

Why Thirroul?...if suggesting going down Bulli Pass and south from there forget iit. Its a parking lot on that stretch of road in the afternoon. Better to go straight down Mt Ousely...

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Perhaps I could have said that better. What I meant was to pick up the highway south to Bega at somewhere down the 'gong.

Ow, yes - the trip down South at Chrissy....

For starters, I agree - take the New England Highway. I have no idea what's the best way to get ther from GC, not my patch.

NEH is good and at night pretty and quick but watchout for speed cameras and trucks.

To be honest I'd avoid Putty Rd. It's slow and winding and you end up in Windsor which will probably cost you more time and frustration. I'd say carry on from NEH to F1. North of Sydney continue to M7 (toll) but it will by-pass most of Sydney (if you don't have to stop there) far quicker than anything else. You end up joining M5/Hume Hwy near Liverpool and yor options start there:
1. Cut from Picton to W'gong and keep going South
2. Cut from Moss Vale to Nowra
3. Goulburn to Batemans Bay via Kings Hwy or
4. You could even keep goig on Hume/Federal Hwys to Cooma and cut across to Bega. Only draw-back is going through Canberra, but given that all public servants would probably escape it could be a good run... although the traffic between Canberra and Bega might be a worry. It is longer (by about 60ks) but may be quicker and less frustrating than Pacific and its caravan procession.

... that's my 2 Swiss Centimes worth. I haven't been down that way for about 5 years so things could be different.

I disagree with your assessment oif the Putty Road, winding yes, slow no. Regularly did 2 1/4 hours Coogee to Singleton off peak. Get into Windsor, cut across to Penrith without going to the Great Western, then cross country to Picton and the 'gong as per my earlier contribution. No wucking furries. Avoid spiv city and its alleged freeways and toll roads at all times. Traffic, Traffic, Traffic. Every time I go backfor a visit I am amazed that the traffic has actually got worse when I thought that it had already reached the nadir of driveability

with the roads he is about to travel on......would not speed cameras be more of a concern than traffic......?

dunno what queensland is like......but down here there are radar traps hidden between the fixed speed cameras......
especially at this time of year......

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Originally Posted by DEFENDERZOOK

with the roads he is about to travel on......would not speed cameras be more of a concern than traffic......?

dunno what queensland is like......but down here there are radar traps hidden between the fixed speed cameras......
especially at this time of year......

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Yes, indeed. I did mention the Warwick Police District earlier in the thread. The NSW Highway Gestapo will also be out in covert force.

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Originally Posted by Brian Hjelm

Dont go via Rathdowney-Kyogle-Grafton. This keeps you on the Pacific Highway with all the traffic congestion and caravan terrorist traffic through Coffs, Port, etc., Go through Boonah to Aratula and the Cunningham and New England Highways to Singleton and then via the Putty Rd. to Windsor. Cuts out Sydney completely.

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Brian,

Saddly I must go through Sydney, so the Rathdowney-grafton route then into Sydney seemed pretty good (I'm heading to Msoman in Sydney) - but if there's a better way I'm all ears. Notwithstanding, I'm starting to think it would be better to go back through sydney in the new year when there might be less traffic. I'm picking up some parts for the Defender, but not crucial to driving obviously.
chers
jimmy