Alternate Route Sydney to North Coast

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Alternate Route Sydney to North Coast

NeilandRaine · Guru

you really only have 2:
The Putty Road to Singleton then cross country to the coast. The Putty would not be my choice of road to tow a van.
The old Pacific Highway; this isnt to bad but it becomes fairly congested once you hit the Central Coast but you can follow the coast up to Budgewoi
and if you want to bypass Newcastle you can go through Morrisett and rejoin the F3 with only about 30 k to the end.

gst · Senior Member

Ive towed the putty road with a patrol old 22ft van no worries as long your not in a hurry and not worried about hair bends

kandagal · Guru

We towed an 18 ft caravan using the Putty Rd with no troubles

jonathan · Guru

.. I always travel the Putty Road .. prefer the inland route as I'm usually heading for/from Sydney's Western Suburbs. Never had any problems there ..

Jon

NeilandRaine · Guru

Too true about the Putty being doable but my thought was once you get off at Singleton you still have to get back to the coast where Rip and Rosie want to be.
You either go all the way back to Maitland and then over to the Pacific, go cross country via Gresford, Paterson etc or go up to Bendemeer then down through Walca.
All very long detores

Dunco · Senior Member

I've been on the Putty a few times and although it is ...as others say...doable, I prefer to F3 as once you get past Gosford it is fine. Before that it is a bit full of your normal CITY drivers.

Plenty of room if you drive accordingly, safe as any other road,

Is there a reason you don't want to travel the F3 ?
Just curious ???

PeterD · Guru

The old Pacific Highway is still the Pacific Highway. The big road that most travellers use is the Newcastle Freeway. It also does not go through Budgewoi (some may get the idea from Neil's post.)

The highway from Hornsby to Kariong is a good road. It has been reduced to one lane from Cowan north. It is speed limited (70 km/h I think) so its bends are not a worry. There are some scenic moments along it. From Kariong north it gets into suburbia that is best avoided unless you are on a reminiscing trip. As you are approaching Kariong you will see a direction to Newcastle and you can join the expressway.

There are two ways to get on to it from the south. One is to stay on Pennant Hills Road and go through Hornsby. The other is to go onto the freeway and take the first exit. There is a good (but spartan) rest area not long after that second option. To get on to it from the North, take the second Gosford exit from the expressway, turn left and then right at the first traffic lights.

jimricho · Guru

Take the F3, just avoid peak hour traffic and long weekends, you'll be better off

NeilandRaine · Guru

PeterD wrote:
The old Pacific Highway is still the Pacific Highway. The big road that most travellers use is the Newcastle Freeway. It also does not go through Budgewoi (some may get the idea from Neil's post.)

The highway from Hornsby to Kariong is a good road. It has been reduced to one lane from Cowan north. It is speed limited (70 km/h I think) so its bends are not a worry. There are some scenic moments along it. From Kariong north it gets into suburbia that is best avoided unless you are on a reminiscing trip. As you are approaching Kariong you will see a direction to Newcastle and you can join the expressway.

There are two ways to get on to it from the south. One is to stay on Pennant Hills Road and go through Hornsby. The other is to go onto the freeway and take the first exit. There is a good (but spartan) rest area not long after that second option. To get on to it from the North, take the second Gosford exit from the expressway, turn left and then right at the first traffic lights.

I do stand corrected, having travelled the roads so often, Like Peter, I take a few things for granted. In my musing I was thinking once I hit Gosford I would go round Central Coast Highway (Terrigal, The Entrance and then through Budgewoi) just didnt explain myself. Following the Pacific after Gosford up through Chalmhaven would just be a pain in the bum.

Wow just a simple questioned got a lot of response.

And the Pacific Highway is old

Rip and Rosie · Guru

The F3 is a business road - full of commuters, tradesmen, semi-trailers and others wanting to make 110 the minimum speed.

I'm all over trying to get from A to B in the quickest possible time.

I've had my fill of it over the years, and so now I want to smell the roses.

Dunco · Senior Member

Rip and Rosie,

I understand where you are coming from.

If you choose to travel the Putty, don't do it on the weekend as it is used by hundreds of Motorbikes out for a weekend ride.
It is windy, hilly and a little rough in places, but I have driven a long load semi trailer up there many many moons ago. There used to be a "halfway"servo with meals, but it burnt down a few years back and has not been rebuilt, so not much in the way of petrol etc.

Also, stop at Windsor for a nice coffee and rest before heading up there as there are plenty of nice little eateries to choose...good fish and chip shop as well

Ma · Guru

When we head North we prefer the Putty to the Coast. It's a lot less stressful and there are plenty of places to pull over either for a cuppa (self made of course) or an overnighter.

I used the Putty many years ago when I was driving interstate trucks so I guess I am used to it but still find it a much easier road to travel than the Pacific Highway.

There is only one fuel stop (that I can remember) on the Putty at that is at Upper Colo and a bit dearer than in Windsor. I wouldn't be bothered having any food from there as the last time we did it was less than ordinary.

PeterD · Guru

Rip, I penned my previous thinking you were wanting to travel the Pacific Highway for old times sake. I travel parts of it for a change occasionally (the freeway is a local road for me.) However I agree with the others that the freeway is an OK route to travel. I tow the van up and down it once or twice a year. I have never been hassled at any time by trucks. I rarely travel at over 100 km/h usually closer to 90.

The road I dislike is the Putty road.

If you wish to take the scenic route north you can look at these:

Using the Pacific Highway

Using the New England Highway

If you ask Google maps to give you the route from Thornleigh to Singleton it will take you from Mt White north via the route shown in my second link.

-- Edited by PeterD on Wednesday 6th of July 2011 05:39:25 PM

lyn-n-ken · Senior Member

hi guys
we live in woy woy (but not for long know) and use the f3 to get any where were going. always find it good as long as theres no accidents we travel between 9am and 2pm to keep away from peak hour traffic.

jimricho · Guru

Both links suggested by PeterD take you through the very historic town of Wollombi. If choosing either of these routes make sure you allow time to walk around this pretty village. Also has a beaut country pub. The comments above re motorbikes at weekends on the Putty Road applies to these routes too.

Gosford to Lake Munmorah via the coast is a pain in the butt, give it a miss.

F3 being a multi lane freeway means faster traffic can overtake easily if you travel at less than the speed limit.