Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Critique my Australia route out of Sydney

Hey guys! Soon (December 27th) I will start my sabbatical 5 month world tour in Australia. I would appreciate it if the experts would critique my suggested route out of Sydney. If you have any suggestions of things to see and do along the route, that would be welcomed too.

I know Sydney but the rest is all new to me. I like beautiful scenery, typical non touristic small towns, quaint towns, nice roads with loads of varying scenery. I am not one for long hikes, museums or tourist traps… For the first part of my trip (pre Syd) I rented a normal saloon for the second part I have a convertible. I have planned my route as follows (some things are fixed because they are prepaid).


Narooma (Whale Motor Inn)
Eden (BW)
Thredbo (Rydges)
Wangaratta (BW – 2 days incl NYE)
Griffith (Hotel Victoria)
Lithgow (ZigZag motel)
SYDNEY (3 days – fixed)
Katoomba (Lilianfels hotel – fixed)
Lovedale (Crowne Hunter Valley – fixed)
Dubbo (RSL motel)
Warwick (BW)
Surfers Paradise (2 days - Marriott)
Yamba (Aston Motel)
Port Stephens (3 days - Oaks Pacific Blue Resort - fixed)


Thanks for your help!

Crowne Plaza @ Pokolbin is an excellent property - with some great dining in the region, and the world's finest aged semillon. Let me know if you want some particular pointers whilst in wine country.

The drive from the Hunter Valley to Dubbo (via the Golden Highway) is a bit rough - not sure if a convertible is the best motoring choice for this route, but hardly a life-threatening choice.

Would be useful to know...

1) How long in each location to give you some idea of weather, tourist crowds, particular events of interest, etc.
2) Any special interests that might be gratified along the way.

new years eve in wangarratta?
even tho i am from melbourne, i like sydney too :eek:, and one thing they do rather well there is new years eve, especially for northern hemisphere visitors eager to experience a warm one

i guess the only thing i would be concerned about, some of those regional cities/towns all blend into one another with similarities.
hard to explain, if you are looking to experience the many contrasts our country has.. coast to inland etc, you might look a little further.
If , on the other hand you have friends to see in some of those places, you will have a great time with local hospitality ;)

theres a a few 6 hour days in the car in there,not allowing for detours

Coolumbla

Yeah, I like driving. Did the Sydney and Melbourne party scene last year. Looking for something different, but this might be too different. I was hoping for reactions like "Wagga Wagga rules"... :) (Given that I just changed Wangaratta to Wagga Wagga)

I don't have friends along the route so I am not limited at all..

A lot of the inland regional centres in eastern Australia are pleasant as small to medium-sized towns, but they are not necessarily very individual. The most pleasant, I would say, are Toowoomba (in Queensland), Orange (in NSW), and Ballarat (in Victoria). The most interesting are probably Ballarat and Bendigo (in Victoria), Bathurst (in NSW), and Toowoomba (in Queensland).

These comments are not aimed specifically at your itinerary needs, but they might be worth throwing into the pot. Of course, someone else will come along soon with completely different ideas!

I ought to add that staying in Australian country towns is easy: there are usually plenty of motels and often these motels are very good, and rarely less than adequate.

Hey guys! Soon (December 27th) I will start my sabbatical 5 month world tour in Australia. I would appreciate it if the experts would critique my suggested route out of Sydney. If you have any suggestions of things to see and do along the route, that would be welcomed too.

I know Sydney but the rest is all new to me. I like beautiful scenery, typical non touristic small towns, quaint towns, nice roads with loads of varying scenery. I am not one for long hikes, museums or tourist traps… For the first part of my trip (pre Syd) I rented a normal saloon for the second part I have a convertible. I have planned my route as follows (some things are fixed because they are prepaid).


Narooma (Whale Motor Inn)
Eden (BW)
Thredbo (Rydges)
Wangaratta (BW – 2 days incl NYE)
Griffith (Hotel Victoria)
Lithgow (ZigZag motel)
SYDNEY (3 days – fixed)
Katoomba (Lilianfels hotel – fixed)
Lovedale (Crowne Hunter Valley – fixed)
Dubbo (RSL motel)
Warwick (BW)
Surfers Paradise (2 days - Marriott)
Yamba (Aston Motel)
Port Stephens (3 days - Oaks Pacific Blue Resort - fixed)


Thanks for your help!

I personally would stop at Jervis Bay on the way South. And maybe consider switching Eden for Boydtown , especially the Seahorse Inn, a reminder of the great dreams Benjamin Boyd had.

Wagga Wagga is a nice place and for flying enthusiasts the home to the Rex Flying School. I am also not sure whether I would do Griffith but go to Parkes for the Radio Telescope instead.

Wow, the Seahorse Inn looks great. Room booked! I will look into Parks. Seen the movie... Good suggestions. Thanks a million ^

By the way, much of the movie was actually shot in Forbes, not Parkes as the town is a bit nicer.

I don't think I would recommend the drive out to Dubbo, unless you want to visit the zoo. It's also a long flat trip to Warwick from there in December heat (it was 41 degrees there yesterday). A better option would be straight up the New England Highway which is a reasonably quiet drive (inland route from Sydney to Brisbane) with much better scenery. Petersens Guest House in Armidale is a nice place to stay.
Happy holiday!

I don't think I would recommend the drive out to Dubbo, unless you want to visit the zoo. It's also a long flat trip to Warwick from there in December heat (it was 41 degrees there yesterday). A better option would be straight up the New England Highway which is a reasonably quiet drive (inland route from Sydney to Brisbane) with much better scenery. Petersens Guest House in Armidale is a nice place to stay.
Happy holiday!
I agree, if you don't intend to spend 2 nights in Dubbo and visit the zoo then it's a lot of driving for nothing.
So if you want to get off the main highway a bit more and see some interesting places, but with easier driving distances ...
Lovedale to Barraba (west of Armidale), stay in the Playhouse Hotel.
Barraba to Warwick (via Texas!!!).
Two easy days driving.
And for me, I'd prefer to stay in one of the many B&Bs aorund Stanthorpe and Ballandean rather than in Warwick.

A comment on the detail: Bathurst is far more interesting and more pleasant than Lithgow, and they're only about 30 miles apart. You'll be coming back through Bathurst, I imagine, on your way to Lithgow anyway.

The area around Orange may be worth a visit too on one your forays into the Central West: interesting cool-climate vineyards, some good eateries, and good views from Mount Canobolas.

I would probably suggest you stay at Albury Wodonga on the border rather than Wangaratta. Albury Wodonga and Wangaratta are about 80kms apart. There is more at Albury, it is closer to the pleasant wine area at Rutherglen, not that there is heaps for a tourist at either Albury Wodonga or Wangaratta. Larger NY celebrations. Also, at Albury a good place is the Country Comfort Hovell Tree - the 2 bedroom apartments in the new section are really good for the "country".

Also, just seen that you are visiting the Gold Coast. The Marriott is not bad, but would suggest Palazzo Versace if it comes within the budget.

Thanks guys! Based on your tips (and having a little more time) I changed it as follows:


Sydney (IC) 2 days
Narooma (Whale Motor Inn)
Eden (BW)
Thredbo (Rydges)
Wagga Wagga (Townhotel – 2 days incl NYE)
Parkes (Station Hotel)
Lithgow (ZigZag motel)
SYDNEY (3 days – fixed)
Katoomba (Lilianfels hotel – fixed)
Lovedale (Crowne Hunter Valley – fixed)
Armidale (BW Moore Park In)
Warwick (BW)
Surfers Paradise (3 days - Holiday Inn)
Yamba (Aston Motel)
Port Stephens (3 days - Oaks Pacific Blue Resort - fixed)


Looking forward to it already...