Driving Syd > Gold Coast

[BlackLS]

I'm gonna be driving to QLD from South Sydney leaving around midday on Saturday 29th Dec.

Is there anything to know, ie what traffic will be like, particular routes or shortcuts to take, scenic stop-offs, if anyone else is doing this trip at the same time?

[BeStRaFe]

where are you from

[BlackLS]

I live in Campbelltown area, but in Sutherland half the time.

[theunfairadvant]

Originally Posted by BlackLS

I'm gonna be driving to QLD from South Sydney leaving around midday on Saturday 29th Dec.

Is there anything to know, ie what traffic will be like, particular routes or shortcuts to take, scenic stop-offs, if anyone else is doing this trip at the same time?

I drive up there so many times from Sydney to Gold Coast that i have lost count, just don't speed that's it.

If there is work zones make sure you slow right down to 40km/h even if it is at
3am in the morning, as i have been pass a work zone at 2am in the morning
without anyone working at that time, the boys in blue was pulling everyone over
except me cos i let all the cars pass me.

[kwonie]

Im also going to the Gold Coast from Sydney this Friday.
Keep to the speed limit no matter how good the roads may be.
Double demerit starts Friday 21 - Tuesday 1.

I was heading back to Sydney from Melbourne 2 years ago anda Victorican cop got me speeding 30kms over the speed limit. The cop was nice, he reduced the fine. About a month later I got the fine in the mail and on the Vic Roads letter, it said that I won't be be given the fine. It was because it was too confusing figuring what they would do to me as I was a NSW person.
I was not to drive on VIC roads for a month. That did not matter to me, I wasn't going to go back there with a car lol.

[JETME]

im also travelling to qld from south sydney, on the 1st of jan, how long does the travell usually take, im leaving around 10pm?

[Pinch]

From the Shire I am always a fan of the New England to Brissy, but to the GC can be a bit of a pain as you have to back track a bit if you go the whole way. I think you can turn off the New England and cross back to the coast before the border. My brother always goes the Pacific, but its not for me. Done both, NE hands down gets my vote. Never had a prob on the NE and over the holiday period you couldn't pay me to take it.

I am also a fan of the M7 as a good, if not expensive, start to the trip. From the Shire (or scrambles) the M7 takes the same time to hit the F3 as going though either Silverwater, Cumberland or ring road 3, but is HEAPS more cruisey. Constant 100k, cruise on, sweet as, no stress. I am usually towing a boat so this makes the constant cruise even more attractive.

What ever you do take it easy, too much BS happening on the roads at the moment.

[Pinch]

JETME, count on around 10-12 hours. Last trip I did the Shire to Hendra (nthn Bris suburb) via New England left 4am arr 3.30pm with rest stops at Tamworth and Stanthorpe. Easy, cruisy drive though. Went out that night partying no probs. My brother just got back from GC last week, 11 hrs constant share drive via Pacific.

[JETME]

thanks heeps Pinch.

[theunfairadvant]

Originally Posted by JETME

im also travelling to qld from south sydney, on the 1st of jan, how long does the travell usually take, im leaving around 10pm?

Just take the Pacific Hwy & you will be there in about 10 hrs.

New England Hwy i will not want to do it at night cos too many roos will jump in
front of you as it has happen to me a few times between 1am to 5am.

So not fun when you car get spunk around 360 and there is not enough place
for you to stop and rest on New England.

[JETME]

yeah iv hit a roo before, not a pleasent sight, for the roo or the car

[Pinch]

As an ex- country driver I reckon a great investment is the little plastic kangaroo whistles you put on the front bumper somewhere. I get them from Repco. Cost around $3-$7 dollars and are stuck on with double sided tape. I lost my first car, a ground up rebuilt VC SL/E commo to a roo and have been cautious ever since. They sell them on-route in servo's etc, but they charge about $20-30.

The whistles create a pitch inaudible to us but freaks roos out and they take off away from the noise. Much the same as the $450 electro magnetic Shu Roos which I had on some cars.

Never had a prob with the roos with the whistles, still see some but no suicide missions. Some people reckon its crap, but 120k with out a hit over a few years when I saw them every day it a pretty good testament. Even if its only a placebo, at around $5 I am willing to let it go.

Take extra care around creeks though, just be mindful they hang around there. Dawn and dusk are the peak times.

Don't know a cure for wombats though - they can mess your car up big time.

[ms700]

Yeah, wombats are bad, mmmmkay.

And they dont care about how busy it is either, i hit one in my missus' Barina at 8pm approaching Goulburn on one very busy, B double ridden Sunday night...... car was stuffed!

[theunfairadvant]

Originally Posted by Pinch

As an ex- country driver I reckon a great investment is the little plastic kangaroo whistles you put on the front bumper somewhere. I get them from Repco. Cost around $3-$7 dollars and are stuck on with double sided tape. I lost my first car, a ground up rebuilt VC SL/E commo to a roo and have been cautious ever since. They sell them on-route in servo's etc, but they charge about $20-30.

The whistles create a pitch inaudible to us but freaks roos out and they take off away from the noise. Much the same as the $450 electro magnetic Shu Roos which I had on some cars.

Never had a prob with the roos with the whistles, still see some but no suicide missions. Some people reckon its crap, but 120k with out a hit over a few years when I saw them every day it a pretty good testament. Even if its only a placebo, at around $5 I am willing to let it go.

Take extra care around creeks though, just be mindful they hang around there. Dawn and dusk are the peak times.

Don't know a cure for wombats though - they can mess your car up big time.

Yeah i have got 4 of the whistle thing install, 2 at the front bumper &
2 at the windscreen and they are the big ones that cost $49.95 from
Supercheap.

They works which is the main thing.

[kwonie]

Us Sydney siders can use our E-tolls over at QLD yeah?
I remember when I drove down to Melbourne it was good to use.

Any things that we got to take care of while driving in QLD?
I'm heading off tomorrow!
Not going straight like Melbourne this time.

Sydney --> Port Macquarie--> Coffs Harbour--> Gold Coast.
Taking it easy.

When are other people going? will you be going straight, any stops?

[HOON69]

this time of year i wouldnt recommend the scenic route
towns are always packed etc etc etc

just take the usual way up straight up the pacific hwy all the way


all up if you planning pit stops
Sydney to Newcastle then to Taree or even KEW

KEW-kempsey to Coffs Harbour via Gafton then to Ballina

Ballina to Gold Coast

should take you 10-13 hours with minimum stops or about 15 if your planning a few stops etc

[BlackLS]

I'm probably gonna do the trip with 2 stops - F3 to fuel up, put another half a tank around Woodburn. Due to double demerits I should see sub-7l/100kms :

[theunfairadvant]

Originally Posted by kwonie

Us Sydney siders can use our E-tolls over at QLD yeah?
I remember when I drove down to Melbourne it was good to use.

Yes our E-Tags works just about everywhere in Australia.

[JETME]

im doing the trip in one go, im planning on leaving at around 11pm on the 1st of jan, and should see myself at the gold coast around 1pm

[Airmon]

I am from Campbelltown and driving from here to Surfers at 90km/h (I think, the speedo was broken) with tons of stops, it took us a solid day (leaving at 4am). If you can miss the traffic out of Sydney you are pretty much right. We the 27th and went up the New England hwy without a drama and came back along the Pacific on the 3rdish. If anything the Pacific was abit more crowded, and while the New England took longer it was a better overall drive.

[HOON69]

i do not recommend it:

but i have done brisbane to yass i left at 4.15am and got there at 3.20pm the same day
thats breakfast stop at kempsey maccas/lunch at a servo 70k's north of newcastle with a fuel stop
that was also with a one hour delay due to a head on accident at the armidale turnoff just outside kemspey way and then th multiple road works to contend with.

i used 1 tank and a qaurter fo the entire trip in the family wagon ;)