Hi guys and gals. I'm about to head off again and want to hear from anyone with advice on, or intentions to be on, the Pacific Highway in the next few weeks. I'm heading inland to Glen Inness for a Celtic Festival then across to Coff's Harbour for a caravan gathering, up to the Qld border visiting friends and rellies, then south all the way along the coast to Melbourne. Now it's that last southward part of the trip I'd love to hear about. Good places to camp, eat, stay and play, etc. Be away about two months this time.
dave06 said
04:01 PM Apr 24, 2009
Happy trails Von. stay safe
Jim-Shirl said
05:24 PM Apr 24, 2009
Don't know if your into free camping Veronica but if so, there is an abandoned caravan park at Genoa in eastern Victoria, which is quite nice. The ablution block is still there although no hot water or power. The highway used to pass right alongside it but a new bridge was built about 200m further east effectively isolating the CP. We have stayed there before and the locals have told us we were more than welcome. Have a safe and happy holiday. Jim
Cupie said
07:32 PM Apr 24, 2009
Hi .. sounds like a good trip ... we did that track ie. NSW east coast - Melbourne, Grampians, Canberra, Newcastle & back to Bris at this time of year in 02 & it was great.
From the margin notes in my Hema map ... (from the perspective of a CP dweller)
Woolgoolga Beach .. Right on the beach quiet but close to facilities - a favourite of mine - Woolgoogla Lakeside as good but secluded. Good curries at the temple one night a week.
Urunga (near Town centre) .. Another quiet favourite. Well off the highway.
Port MacQuarie .. My wife's favourite at the Sunfdowner Breakwater ... Wombat's home town.
Take a drive thru Forster Tuncurry ... stayed there but doesn't appeal to us.
Nelson Bay .. There was a great CP at Soldiers Point but between sacred sites & cabins ... we give it a miss & can't find a suitable one in this great spot.
Belmont Pines is one of the best for locations that we have encountered. On a 5/10 acre istmus in the lake it has great atmosphere & not too crowded.
The Entrance is a must. The CP on the LHS just before the town bridge is very good.
Sydney ... Can't go past Lane Cove, if you must stop. Right on the highway but close to a NP ... quiet greeny award winning with transport almost at the door. Having said that Narabeen, out of the way at North Sydney is V good too. Surf & Lakeside with transport.
Kiama .. Used to be a favourite but the Blowhole CP with great aspect is now a cabin park, I think. (Back up the road at Woolongong .. was much better than we expected .. good beaches (as was the Newcastle Town beach). Excellent hinterland.
Ulladulla. Italian fising harbour. Was great when we were there for blessing of the fleet. CP not outstanding.
Narooma .. Great CP overlooking the river estuary. One of my favourires. Good fish at the little shop on the right before the bridge .. goung south. Try Abercore. Good oysters in fish shop on RHS just in the town area.
I COULD GO ON BUT THE FOOTBALL IS STARTING.
If this is what you want ... let me know & I will continue.
(Sorry no time to edit)
Roostertales said
08:00 PM Apr 24, 2009
wow what a great piece of info !
ibbo said
08:16 PM Apr 24, 2009
Hi.As a very frequent traveller on the Pacific Hwy. I can only offer the following advice.From the Tweed to Ballina not a bad run,road works mon to fri approaching Ballina.From Ballina to Grafton is the missing link of the Pacific Hwy.Narrow lanes,speed cameras,must say they are well signposted so you have no excuses if you are pinged.From Grafton to Coffs road works during the week days will cause you some delays.Coffs to Kempsey also has plenty of roadworks.Kempsey to Taree is pretty good,just watch out for speed cameras.Taree to Buladelah is a good run.Buladelah to the Tea gardens turn off is just single lanes due to roadworks.The hwy then is pretty good all the way to Hornsby.Although roadworks will slow you down from the Hawkesbury Bridge till just north of Hornsby.After Hornsby I cant help.All in all whentravelling down the Pacific Hwy from the Qld boarder to Hornsby to see all the roadworks does show just how much is being done to improve the countrys number one road.Hope that I have been of some assistance.Cheers.Ibbo.
NannyMon said
09:44 AM Apr 25, 2009
waltzing matilda wrote:
Hi guys and gals. I'm about to head off again and want to hear from anyone with advice on, or intentions to be on, the Pacific Highway in the next few weeks. I'm heading inland to Glen Inness for a Celtic Festival then across to Coff's Harbour for a caravan gathering, up to the Qld border visiting friends and rellies, then south all the way along the coast to Melbourne. Now it's that last southward part of the trip I'd love to hear about. Good places to camp, eat, stay and play, etc. Be away about two months this time.
Hi Von, I'm home at the moment, I would love to catch up with you, let me know when you get to Coffs. What is the Celtic Festival about, sounds interesting. Drive Safely ..... Mon
Akuli said
10:54 AM Apr 25, 2009
without having read any reply re you coming from melbourne to glen - DON'T EVEN THINK OF GOING PACIFIC HIGHWAY. Having done similar trip I would go toward Wagga on what ever route you choose then up to Dubbo, Coona'B, Gunnedah, Tamworth, then up on the New England Highway to Glen. OK post edit, now I have read your post, you are more concerned re going back south. I have done the highway trip south on Pacific to Canberra, and if you love freeways that is the way to go. If it was me I would turn off well before Newcastle and take an adventurers tour through the hills and valleys eg. Glouchester, Scone, Merriwah, Bathurst......spelling not good but I know the country and it is piture perfeft and way way away from the freeways and city lights.
-- Edited by Akuli on Saturday 25th of April 2009 10:59:13 AM
dave06 said
11:22 AM Apr 25, 2009
I am 100% in agreeance with akuli, I would get the hell off the highways and freeways and doodle my way through the neverlands,
freeways are for people who have to get somewhere in a hurry, I would have thought we have "outgrown" that stage
Hope you are getting on alright with what I sent you if not pm me and I will compile another list for the backblock's from my log!!!
Cupie said
02:29 PM Apr 25, 2009
I suppose it's all about what you want to achieve on the trip, what roads you have travelled before, the time available, what your personal likes are and all that stuff.
Fortunately we don't all like the same things ... how does that often quoted saying go ... each to his own.
If you want to have a look at the Southern NSW coastal spots, there is little choice but to a lot of the KMs on the Pacific Highway. But there are lots of opportunities to discover out of the way places & not follow the PH.
When doing that trip our preference is to take every coastal loop and even a few that come to a dead end. Let me give you an example ....
From Port Macquarie, follow the coast thru Lake Cathie, Laurieton etc rejoining the PH at Moorland. Another loop is just down the PH a bit, to Rainbow Flat thru Diamond Beach Hallidays point to Foster Tuncurry. On then thru Pacific Palms, rejoining the PH just before Bulahdelah. Here you can again leave the PH & follow the 45km drive thru Hawks Nest & Tea Gardens.
Unless you are in a hurry, after looking at Nelson's bay, there is no need to get on the Newcastle/Sydney Freeway at Newcastle. Follow the old PH (remembering to do the costal loops). This will take you thru the fantastic Macquarie lakes (that man Macquarie again!). You'll find something there to suit every taste. Onward along the costal loop around Tuggerah Lake to The Entrance .. south thru Terrigal, Avoca etc & back to the F'way after Woy Woy & Gossford.
We usually find a place that suits & 'set up camp' there for a minimum of 3 nights & explore the surrounding area or just vege out .. as the mood takes us. Some days we only travel 150km or so between stop overs.
Yes, some will rather travel along a corregated road with the dust or mud, or even a recently graded gravel road, camping beside a quiet shady waterhole... as I have done from time to time. Can't do that if you want to see the NSW coast on this particular trip.
Our Hema map of NSW looks like spagetti with all of the roads that we have used in our trave;ls marked in. We try to go a different way each time .. and choose a route depending on the circumstances at the time.
I could go on & on but I have probably bored you all by now.
ps. Von .. If you haven't been up that way, take time to go up the Waterfall way to Dorrigo via Bellingen (great markets there on the right day) from south of Coffs (Urunga a good stop over for this side trip)
pps . I use Cartoscope Tourist Maps for my detailed trip planning.
ppps. Along the way you will find the sort of o'night accomodation that suits you, be they free camps, basic CPs by the water or even those 5* Holiday Resorts with all the bells & whistles.
Jackos said
03:58 PM Apr 26, 2009
Don't go anywhere near the Pacific Hwy, stay clear of it. The Fossickers Way, which takes you through Tamworth is even worth a look.
Jackos said
04:04 PM Apr 26, 2009
The Princes Hwy is quite a different story to the Pacific, if thats the way you are going. Just keep in mind that the good places to stay maybe of the Highway abit. Mallacoota, I have been told is great.
Ma said
05:44 PM Apr 26, 2009
Hi Von, When you head South make sure you have a look at Mollymook Beach. It's halfway between Nowra and Bateman's Bay.
Not really sure if you can "legally" spend the night there but plenty do.
It has toilets and showers at the rear of the surf club and the Beach Hut and Breakers have some pretty good tucker.
Of course I am not biased, I live there. If you would like any more info let me know and I'll find out for you. In the meantime I'll check out and see where else you might be able to set down the legs.
Let us know when you will be in the area and well chuck on a Barbie while you are here.
Akuli said
12:07 PM Apr 27, 2009
Jackos wrote:
Don't go anywhere near the Pacific Hwy, stay clear of it. The Fossickers Way, which takes you through Tamworth is even worth a look.
Spot on advice. The inland routes are far less stressful i.e. less traffic, better roads, and beautiful scenery. Trust me :)
Hylda&Jon said
12:15 AM Apr 28, 2009
Hi! We live in Woolgoolga, but only for a couple of months more till we hit the road ourselves. It is one of the nicest towns I have lived in and is worth a few days stay. Hylda & I will be going to the Glen Innes Celtic festival ourselves so we may see you there. We will be parking our caravan at the showground. where there is cheap powered camping. We went last year but only with a tent and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Hope to see you there. Jon & Hylda
Hi .. sounds like a good trip ... we did that track ie. NSW east coast - Melbourne, Grampians, Canberra, Newcastle & back to Bris at this time of year in 02 & it was great.
From the margin notes in my Hema map ... (from the perspective of a CP dweller)
Woolgoolga Beach .. Right on the beach quiet but close to facilities - a favourite of mine - Woolgoogla Lakeside as good but secluded. Good curries at the temple one night a week.
Urunga (near Town centre) .. Another quiet favourite. Well off the highway.
Port MacQuarie .. My wife's favourite at the Sunfdowner Breakwater ... Wombat's home town.
Take a drive thru Forster Tuncurry ... stayed there but doesn't appeal to us.
Nelson Bay .. There was a great CP at Soldiers Point but between sacred sites & cabins ... we give it a miss & can't find a suitable one in this great spot.
Belmont Pines is one of the best for locations that we have encountered. On a 5/10 acre istmus in the lake it has great atmosphere & not too crowded.
The Entrance is a must. The CP on the LHS just before the town bridge is very good.
Sydney ... Can't go past Lane Cove, if you must stop. Right on the highway but close to a NP ... quiet greeny award winning with transport almost at the door. Having said that Narabeen, out of the way at North Sydney is V good too. Surf & Lakeside with transport.
Kiama .. Used to be a favourite but the Blowhole CP with great aspect is now a cabin park, I think. (Back up the road at Woolongong .. was much better than we expected .. good beaches (as was the Newcastle Town beach). Excellent hinterland.
Ulladulla. Italian fising harbour. Was great when we were there for blessing of the fleet. CP not outstanding.
Narooma .. Great CP overlooking the river estuary. One of my favourires. Good fish at the little shop on the right before the bridge .. goung south. Try Abercore. Good oysters in fish shop on RHS just in the town area.
I COULD GO ON BUT THE FOOTBALL IS STARTING.
If this is what you want ... let me know & I will continue.
(Sorry no time to edit)
OK post edit, now I have read your post, you are more concerned re going back south. I have done the highway trip south on Pacific to Canberra, and if you love freeways that is the way to go. If it was me I would turn off well before Newcastle and take an adventurers tour through the hills and valleys eg. Glouchester, Scone, Merriwah, Bathurst......spelling not good but I know the country and it is piture perfeft and way way away from the freeways and city lights.
-- Edited by Akuli on Saturday 25th of April 2009 10:59:13 AM
Fortunately we don't all like the same things ... how does that often quoted saying go ... each to his own.
If you want to have a look at the Southern NSW coastal spots, there is little choice but to a lot of the KMs on the Pacific Highway. But there are lots of opportunities to discover out of the way places & not follow the PH.
When doing that trip our preference is to take every coastal loop and even a few that come to a dead end. Let me give you an example ....
From Port Macquarie, follow the coast thru Lake Cathie, Laurieton etc rejoining the PH at Moorland.
Another loop is just down the PH a bit, to Rainbow Flat thru Diamond Beach Hallidays point to Foster Tuncurry. On then thru Pacific Palms, rejoining the PH just before Bulahdelah. Here you can again leave the PH & follow the 45km drive thru Hawks Nest & Tea Gardens.
Unless you are in a hurry, after looking at Nelson's bay, there is no need to get on the Newcastle/Sydney Freeway at Newcastle. Follow the old PH (remembering to do the costal loops). This will take you thru the fantastic Macquarie lakes (that man Macquarie again!). You'll find something there to suit every taste. Onward along the costal loop around Tuggerah Lake to The Entrance .. south thru Terrigal, Avoca etc & back to the F'way after Woy Woy & Gossford.
We usually find a place that suits & 'set up camp' there for a minimum of 3 nights & explore the surrounding area or just vege out .. as the mood takes us. Some days we only travel 150km or so between stop overs.
Yes, some will rather travel along a corregated road with the dust or mud, or even a recently graded gravel road, camping beside a quiet shady waterhole... as I have done from time to time. Can't do that if you want to see the NSW coast on this particular trip.
Our Hema map of NSW looks like spagetti with all of the roads that we have used in our trave;ls marked in. We try to go a different way each time .. and choose a route depending on the circumstances at the time.
I could go on & on but I have probably bored you all by now.
ps. Von .. If you haven't been up that way, take time to go up the Waterfall way to Dorrigo via Bellingen (great markets there on the right day) from south of Coffs (Urunga a good stop over for this side trip)
pps . I use Cartoscope Tourist Maps for my detailed trip planning.
ppps. Along the way you will find the sort of o'night accomodation that suits you, be they free camps, basic CPs by the water or even those 5* Holiday Resorts with all the bells & whistles.
Not really sure if you can "legally" spend the night there but plenty do.
It has toilets and showers at the rear of the surf club and the Beach Hut and Breakers have some pretty good tucker.
Of course I am not biased, I live there. If you would like any more info let me know and I'll find out for you. In the meantime I'll check out and see where else you might be able to set down the legs.
Let us know when you will be in the area and well chuck on a Barbie while you are here.
Hope to see you there.
Jon & Hylda