Welcome to the gang TOBY, enjoy here and out in the playground.
As an option and the way I usually head to Townsville each year is from Sydney I stop at Bulahdelah, there is a nice donation camp beside a river and beside the bridge south side of town or stay at the showgrounds or the bowling club as I do for $5 per per night unpowered at the club. I choose there as the club have a very nice reasonably priced meal and I can keep the Collie hooked up to the aluminium teepee if just a one night stand. Three night total stay if you want. I have also stayed the three nights just cos I could.
From there I head to Byron Bay as I like it there, I stay in an old camp ground come CVP as you come into town, not cheap as a couple but not many places to stay along the Pacific Hwy for free. I usually stay a few days as well there.
Moving on from there I head into QLD and stay at GinGin at either the free camp just on the northern edge of town or the showground if I want a couple of days there. Both nice places.
Next I stop at Waverley Creek Rest area on the Bruce Hwy and about 160km north of Rockhampton. If full there St Lawrence is just up the road. You could even just go to Mackay instead.
I choose that way as it is duel carriageway until after the Sunshine coast then varies. I actually find the Bruce no problem unlike a lot of others.
If you have UHF, work in with the trucks and everyone is happy.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
straitened out said
09:11 PM Feb 21, 2020
There's a lovely little CP at Mt Larcom. Very friendly young people running it. Also second vote for St Lawrence showgrounds - about 4km off the Bruce but a world away.
Cheers
S.O.
outlaw40 said
07:54 AM Feb 22, 2020
Dougwe has got it sorted . Exactly as i would do it.
blissonwheels said
08:49 PM Feb 23, 2020
Gooday,
Have travelled that route many times, both ways, we would follow the New England Highway to Warwick, then via Toowoomba through Crows Nest, Nanango etc., to Goomerri, there, turn right towards Kilkivan, joining the Bruce Highway at the Bauple turnoff, just south of Tiaro, good camps at both places, Bauple great and Tiaro, then continue along the Bruce Highway to Mackay. If you haven't got a Camps Australia Directory or the WikiCamps Application you should get both to locate your Free Camps.
Much harder to find good quiet camping places along the Pacific Raceway,( Highway 1).
Best of luck, safe travels.
-- Edited by blissonwheels on Sunday 23rd of February 2020 08:50:00 PM
does anyone have a general route to mackay with a caravan/ free camping on the way
As an option and the way I usually head to Townsville each year is from Sydney I stop at Bulahdelah, there is a nice donation camp beside a river and beside the bridge south side of town or stay at the showgrounds or the bowling club as I do for $5 per per night unpowered at the club. I choose there as the club have a very nice reasonably priced meal and I can keep the Collie hooked up to the aluminium teepee if just a one night stand. Three night total stay if you want. I have also stayed the three nights just cos I could.
From there I head to Byron Bay as I like it there, I stay in an old camp ground come CVP as you come into town, not cheap as a couple but not many places to stay along the Pacific Hwy for free. I usually stay a few days as well there.
Moving on from there I head into QLD and stay at GinGin at either the free camp just on the northern edge of town or the showground if I want a couple of days there. Both nice places.
Next I stop at Waverley Creek Rest area on the Bruce Hwy and about 160km north of Rockhampton. If full there St Lawrence is just up the road. You could even just go to Mackay instead.
I choose that way as it is duel carriageway until after the Sunshine coast then varies. I actually find the Bruce no problem unlike a lot of others.
If you have UHF, work in with the trucks and everyone is happy.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
There's a lovely little CP at Mt Larcom. Very friendly young people running it. Also second vote for St Lawrence showgrounds - about 4km off the Bruce but a world away.
Cheers
S.O.
Gooday,
Have travelled that route many times, both ways, we would follow the New England Highway to Warwick, then via Toowoomba through Crows Nest, Nanango etc., to Goomerri, there, turn right towards Kilkivan, joining the Bruce Highway at the Bauple turnoff, just south of Tiaro, good camps at both places, Bauple great and Tiaro, then continue along the Bruce Highway to Mackay. If you haven't got a Camps Australia Directory or the WikiCamps Application you should get both to locate your Free Camps.
Much harder to find good quiet camping places along the Pacific Raceway,( Highway 1).
Best of luck, safe travels.
-- Edited by blissonwheels on Sunday 23rd of February 2020 08:50:00 PM