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#1 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,547
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Didn't want to de-rail the XE to Bathurst roadtrip thread so started new thread...looking for ideas and advice for driving holiday (what to see and where to stay, which will all go towards breaking it up into smaller journeys). As valid as it may be, not looking for advice to not do it.
Plan is round trip from Adelaide taking in NSW and Victoria in January. Me, wifey and 2 girls aged 9 and 11. Staying mostly cabins in caravans parks or similar with half decent hotels thrown in every few days to keep everyone sane. Original plan was to head south east from Adelaide and spend few day in Mount Gambier (family there), take time winding our way through Victoria and up into NSW, then once done head inland back to Adelaide..but that long last leg from northern NSW back to Adelaide will suck after weeks of being in the car (kids would be weary by then). So I'm thinking would be better doing that in reverse - leave Adelaide headed towards northern NSW while the kids are fresh and excited, so the final leg back to Adelaide would be shorter stint from Mt Gambier. So if leaving Adelaide for northern NSW (Byron), any suggestions on where to stay on the way to break up that long first leg? Anything to see and do on the way between Adelaide and northern NSW? What about breaking up the trip from Sydney to Melbourne into a few days? Good places to see or stay in Southern NSW? Anything to add to what the kids have already asked to see/do, which so far is: NSW: - Bondi (because Bondi rescue) - Wet 'n Wild - Lunar Park - Taronga Zoo Vic: - Aquarium - Zoo - Markets - Lunar Park (again) - Sovereign Hill What 'Bigs' and other landmarks are there along the way? |
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#2 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,878
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There are literally thousands of things to see and do between Byron and Mount Gambier,but be aware accomodation right down the NSW and Vic coast will be scarce and at premiun cost at that time of year due to school holidays.
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#3 | ||
2004 XR8
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Northern Rivers NSW
Posts: 133
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You might want to consider Brunswick Heads, just north of Byron, its less crowded and the Bryon traffic is horrendous.
Cheers Jim |
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#4 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Posts: 3,381
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It was a roadtrip thread, so you could have hijacked it
![]() On the way, one of the things I want to do one year is to go to Parkes and check out the Dish. CSIRO Radio Telescope as shown in The Dish movie. How old are the kids? Might be good to know to help plan stops as you might have an indication as to how far you might get before they get too ratty. Adelaide to Bathurst is approx 14 hours including rest stops as a guide. Which way would you go to Byron? Over the Hay Plains and up to Dubbo and beyond, or up to Broken Hill and across from there?
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Cheers, Sam. |
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#5 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,488
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I wouldn't recommend going via broken hill. we did one year due to floods, and thankfully there had been a lot of rain and everything was rather green, but from broken hill to Wilcannia and then cobar to Nyngan etc, is extremely boring. Long distances between each town...
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UA2 TREND 4WD BI TURBO |
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#6 | |||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,488
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Quote:
My travels take me north from Hay heading toward Bris, so I can't offer much advice on anything from Hay heading toward Sydney. Hay is about 7 hours away
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UA2 TREND 4WD BI TURBO |
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#7 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Barossa Valley, South Australia
Posts: 3,381
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You might want to look to leave early in the morning to get some distance done whilst the kids sleep?
Lameroo bakery is a good spot for a breakfast stop ![]() For our drive over to Bathurst, we'll be going via the Riverland as it's quicker for us Barossans. Leave at 2am, breakfast in Mildura, lunch in West Wyalong and the in to Bathurst sitting at the campsite drinking a beer hopefully by about 4pm. That's two blokes, no kids, swapping drivers approximately every two hours. Breaks for about 15 minutes during those driver changes. We did Halls Gap last year and this year with the family. My sons are 6 and 3 now. That's a 6 hour drive that takes about 10 hours with the kids. Stopping every two hours for the kids to have a break and play at a playground somewhere along the way. Tablets and dvd players might be able to stretch out the stops a little longer for the kids. For the family trips, we've always figured out stops in advance and then googled places to see what's around for the kids to do. The trip to Halls Gap usually involves breakfast at Murray Bridge, bakery at Bordertown for morning tea and then lunch at Horsham. Good luck with the planning! I have lots of fond memories of doing road trips with the family when I was a kid! Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk
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Cheers, Sam. |
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#8 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,488
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As a young kid travelling with my folks, they would often stop there on the way through and get us some sort of baked goodness.
Last Xmas we happened to be going through around tea time so thought we'd stop and check it out for old times sake. Not sure if we just got a bad day or the wrong time but it looked a shadow of its former self. We wandered back up the main street and went to a shop/restaurant opposite the park. Much better. Like I said, it was quite late in the day (5:30ish), so perhaps they were about to close and had packed up most of the stuff.
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UA2 TREND 4WD BI TURBO |
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#9 | ||
Cabover nut
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Onsite Eastcoast
Posts: 10,827
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If you get the opportunity to come back via Victoria, have a look around the North East Vic. Beaut time of year to visit the Alps, Goldfields and Gourmet region. So many things to see and do.
If you like walking or riding we have two of the longest rail trails here as well. "Murray to the Mountains" and "Mansfield to Tallarook."
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heritagestonemason.com/Fordlouisvillerestoration In order that the labour of centuries past may not be in vain during the centuries to come...... D. Diderot 1752
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#10 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,547
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Couple of girls - 9 and 11 years.
Their road trip will be a bit more comfy than those I did as a kid. They will be sharing the backseat of a VF Calais V with aircon, DVD, tablets and iPods to listen to their own music. My road trips as a kid were a family of 7 plus dog crammed into a bronze HJ wagon. Mum and dad up front, 4 kids across back seat, and me and the flatulent dog in the back with the luggage. Don't recall if it had aircon; I do remember we would have the tailgate window down about 4 inches (so dog farts out, exhaust CO2 in). No DVD, no tablets, and music was whatever the olds were listening to at the time (which was often acceptable stuff like Springsteen, Fleetwood Mac, Chisel, The Angels and Suzie Q, but could also be Abba, Boney M, Baycity Rollers and Village People when mum was on DJ duties). What will be the same for them as it was for me is the odd bit of Roadhouse tucker. Doubt that has changed too much since the 70s. Thanks for the tips guys and suggestions guys, much appreciated. |
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#11 | ||
Cabover nut
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Onsite Eastcoast
Posts: 10,827
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I can remember sitting back there with the luggage travelling to Redland Bay, (ferry to Macleay Is) Qld from Sydney with my family in their first Holden FB wagon and in subsequent years right up to the HX wagon. Woolgoolga C P was the overnight in a heavy old canvas tent we struggled to put up due to the coastal winds there.
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heritagestonemason.com/Fordlouisvillerestoration In order that the labour of centuries past may not be in vain during the centuries to come...... D. Diderot 1752
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#12 | |||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 5,415
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Quote:
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![]() HI ![]() I'M MICHAEL ![]() 2003 ACID RUSH BA FUTURA WAGON ![]() light up window switches | auto on cruise control | doubleclick window lift from remote |
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#13 | |||
Former BTIKD
![]() Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Sunny Downtown Wagga Wagga. NSW.
Posts: 53,197
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Quote:
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Dying at your job is natures way of saying that you're in the wrong line of work.
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#14 | ||
Limited supply
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 1,441
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fair enough about Bondi rescue but Sydney is blessed with beaches, much better and less packed out. Manly is out of the way by road but a short ferry ride from the city. If you want that holiday town feel in the big city Id recommend the northern beaches. It's a coastal peninsula and the further up you go the more beautiful it gets.
https://www.manlyaustralia.com.au/info/ https://www.nrmaparksandresorts.com.au/sydney-lakeside/ |
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#15 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 559
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+1 for Manly.
if there on a Sunday, use the opal card for public transport. Less than $3 all day. The Manly ferry really makes it feel like a holiday as you swing past the bridge and opera house. The whole event is much less hectic (getting there, local walks), and great value. Bondi is ok, you can join 6-15,000 others on the coastal walk south if you desire. If it were me, I'd get a hotel around circular quay with a car park. Out the door, onto the ferries (or bus for Bondi). I don't like spending all the time on the rd to get there, and then spend half my day fighting traffic to save a few bucks on out of town accommodation in the big smoke. If heading Northern NSW, I have always liked the greater Newcastle area, beaches, ocean pools, Port Stephens/Nelson bay is (was) brilliant-love the tranquility. If in a 4WD, Stockton beach is an option. Heading there, the long way would be Coastal, i.e. Great Ocean rd, or well east to Eden and Merimbula, Both would be too long. |
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#16 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,547
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New South Welshman...which toll provider do you recommend? Been through heaps of them in last 48 hours so only got a day to get something sorted.
Will be headed for Victoria on Sunday so just need cover the tolls I have hit in recent days plus the next couple of days...not ongoing. |
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#17 | |||
Former BTIKD
![]() Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Sunny Downtown Wagga Wagga. NSW.
Posts: 53,197
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Quote:
Covers all toll roads Australia wide and it's pay as you go. https://www.linkt.com.au/sydney/acco...passes/linktgo
__________________
Dying at your job is natures way of saying that you're in the wrong line of work.
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#18 | ||
Regular Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 88
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Vic has two different toll road operaters, buying a pass on one doesn't cover the other. Etag covers both, my father in law got caught with this dropping us off at the airport.
Try and do It online, calling them is painful. |
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#20 | ||
Rob
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Woodcroft S.A.
Posts: 21,488
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Currently in QLD, and this dumb ugly southerner is looking forward to going back to sleepy little Adelaide...
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UA2 TREND 4WD BI TURBO |
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#21 | ||
HUGH JARSE
![]() Join Date: May 2005
Location: Yap-Hoon
Posts: 21,474
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#22 | ||
FF.Com.Au Hardcore
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,547
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Cav does put forward a strong argument for heading north
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#23 | ||
Cabover nut
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Onsite Eastcoast
Posts: 10,827
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Cav sounds good but Oh those Terrorist all along the coast at the moment.
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heritagestonemason.com/Fordlouisvillerestoration In order that the labour of centuries past may not be in vain during the centuries to come...... D. Diderot 1752
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#24 | ||
Frankenford pilot
![]() ![]() Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 18,849
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If you haven’t driven the Great Ocean Road before I would suggest you go home that way. Heaps to see and do along the way. I took the misses out one morning for a drive... stopped at Port Fairy for the night and came home the next day
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Cheers Bretto 73 XB GT Last of the Big Ports ![]() |
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