Sydney to Canberra

[Colette]

At some stage I plan to get around to riding to visit my rellies in Canberra (I usually drive there) and wondered if there were suggestions for a ride route other than the highway, as that is a bit boring.

Suggestions?

[MickLC]

Depends how much time you've got. I'm sure Phil can give you the best ways to get out of Sydney, he's doing that for Brett at the moment. If you keep going down the coast to Batemans Bay then come up the Clyde Mountain you'll have an interesting ride.

If you end up on the highway from Robertson (pie shop) you can get off it again at Goulburn and come down through Tarago, Bungendore and then into Queanbeyan and on to the southern suburbs. Nothing real twisty but nice sweepers and a lot more interesting than the highway.

Another option is to go from Goulburn along the highway a bit and then turn off and take the old highway to Gunning. From Gunning you can come down through Gunderoo and back onto the Highway at Sutton which is a few minutes from the northern suburbs. Again it's mostly sweepers.

Once you're here there are a few nice roads around the Brindabellas that I can show you around....

[bonester]

Just visited Canberra (Canbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrra) last week. Nice place except for the weather....freezing, and it isn't winter yet! I came down from Queensland, so came from a different direction. Saw HEAPS of cops on the way down, but funnily enough Canberra seems almost UNPOLICED! Saw two cops cars the whole time I was there and they weren't in the least interested in speeding fines it seemed- roadside drugbust and a lone copper in another car. Maybe the pollies who MAKE the roadrules don't want to be affected by them? My mate who lives there tells me everyone sits above the limit, and the one speed camera he sees occasionally is so obvious only a fool would be caught by it. I'm moving down there!

[Colette]

Thanks Mick, how much longer would those alternative routes take do you think?

[JamesLaugesen]

I have a mate in Canberra I plan on visiting when I get some time off work (end of current project).
Also wondering a route to take.

[matchan]

Thanks Mick, how much longer would those alternative routes take do you think?

Hi Colette,

Its about 3.5 - 4 hours from Sydney to Batemans Bay, depends on the traffic holdups, there are some good bits to the trip but watch out for the roadworks north of Kiama (about 10kms or so) and the 27,000 speed cameras around Berry. Then its around 1.5 - 2 hours up the mountain to Canberra, you can get some bad traffic up that way on weekends with limited overtaking, but a good run is well worth it.

If you also take in the Nasho (RNPIR) and kangaroo valley it will add a fair bit extra, maybe 2 hours, its been a fair while since I've been that way but you can join up with the pricess highway at either Berry or Nowra (and probably plenty of other places as well).

Grab an NRMA map and have fun !

Matt

[Neka79]

hmm i could comment here...
id head down thru the illawarra, prob partly princess highway?? to around dapto or wherever...then up to robbo p[ie shop, on to moss vegas (do a wheelie down the maino 4 me, and tell em neka sent u- my home town....)..then head towards the freeway, but turn off towards bundanoon, out thru wingello, to marulan...then back on to highway towards goulburn..from here ur back into ummm..fark i cant think of his name..the zx9r now zx10r...ahh mick..thats him..he can guide u from here..

[Nanna10r]

Going through Batemans too Colette, i'll post how we went when i get another chance.
cheers Brett

[SilverFox]

According to my GPS mapping software....

Princes Hwy via Nasho, then main coast road to Batemans Bay = 261 Km (2 hrs 58 mins) then Batemans Bay to Canberra = 148Km (1 hr 34 mins)

In comparison, Liverpool to Canberra (Hume Hwy) = 250Km (2hrs 22mins)

That'sif you sit on the speed limit. Add extra for fuel stops, rests & traffic.

If you decide on the route send me the major towns (& your starting point) and I'll recalculate for you.

[MickLC]

You'd be pushing it to get from Batemans Bay to Canberra in 1 hour 34 min, more like 2-2.5 hours...but then that's including the mandatory stop for coffee at Braidwood and an ice-cream at Bungendore

...and please keep the bit about the cops and the speed cameras quiet or you'll ruin all our fun

[Colette]

Thanks all for your info, will be interested to see how Brett goes today with his journey via Bateman's.

[SilverFox]

...and please keep the bit about the cops and the speed cameras quiet or you'll ruin all our fun

If you go via the coast you'll go past 7 or 8 fixed speed cameras (depending on your exact route). Most of them are between Wollongong & Nowra. Last one is 500m south of Nowra Shoalhaven bridge and then nothing until you get to Canberra. End of 2004 ACT had around 10 speed cameras, NSW 160+ & VIC around 95.

Have fun

[MickLC]

dammit I told you to be quiet ...seriously though, we only have about 2 or 3 mobile speed cameras in vans that can only setup in specific areas that are signposted, and they have a big sign on the roof too. The rest of the cameras are at some of the major intersections and are well signposted as well.

I haven't seen a cop with a radar in a very long time, but given the recent fatals they are probably going to be around the place a bit more.

[tape]

Colette,

we stayed at shellharbour in Jan. Then drove inland, I think the way Neka said up thru some mighty twistie mountainous roads... all we kept saying was wish we had the bikes, wish we had the bikes. See the red section that is on Silver Fox's map...

I'd love to do that stretch so if ya get the chance, ride it.

cheers

[Phil]

Thanks Mick, how much longer would those alternative routes take do you think?

the Nasho (RNPIR)