Crossing Great Diving Range towing <span class="highlight">caravan</span>

Submitted: Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 19:46
ThreadID: 131608 Views:6899 Replies:5 FollowUps:15
This Thread has been Archived
Hi just wondered if anybody could help with advice. we intend to cross the Great Dividing Range by the Golden Highway, which we researched and looks good for taking a van across. However we intend to go as far as Hervey Bay and would like to know if there is a best or better way to cross, there or up further in Queensland. Thankyou
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:17

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:17
If you want to go up the range all roads are much of a muchness but none of them are bad enough to stop a correctly set up rig.
Is there a particular reason why you want to travel the Golden Highway or indeed why you want to go inland to get to Hervey Bay? If you don't like hills just go up the coast road.
AnswerID: 596256

Follow Up By: Andie - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:36

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:36
Thanks, we are travelling from Adelaide and are looking for best road over mountains
0
FollowupID: 865117

Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:44

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:44
If you are just travelling to Hervey Bay why not go from Adelaide via Broken Hill and when you get to Cobar go north to Cunnamulla and then east through St George to Toowoomba and on. There are no hills that way. It is the way we go to and from the west.
0
FollowupID: 865118

Follow Up By: Andie - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:49

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 20:49
Thank you, that helps a lot
0
FollowupID: 865120

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew & Jen - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 21:59

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 21:59
Ron
Is the road from St George to Dalby still a shocker? It was the last time I used it a couple of years ago.
Cheers
Andrew
0
FollowupID: 865125

Follow Up By: Member - Rod N (QLD) - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 22:07

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 22:07
Not a super highway but no worse than a lot of other remote roads.
0
FollowupID: 865126

Reply By: Michael H9 - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 21:02

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 21:02
We used to really worry about that sort of thing back when cars weren't as powerful and roads were terrible. Now it's a bit of a non event. The Sturt from Adelaide, the Hume to Sydney and the coast road north really have nothing that will bother most rigs except the traffic around the north side of Sydney. Modern cars and roads have made the Great Dividing Range less great and less of a divide I reckon. Go up one way, come back another and have a great time doing it. Cheers.
AnswerID: 596258

Follow Up By: Andie - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 21:40

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 21:40
Thanks for your help
0
FollowupID: 865123

Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 22:26

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 22:26
I suppose that what I was saying was that you are hard pressed to find anything that acts like a mountain anymore on the main highways. They've done a good job flattening, straightening and widening them. A while back, some of them were a nightmare, but I reckon they are pretty good now.
0
FollowupID: 865127

Reply By: 9900Eagle - Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 22:47

Sunday, Feb 14, 2016 at 22:47
If you want a pretty flat run just go up the Newell and jump of at brocklehurst and up through Mendooran and home out before Coonabarabran which gets rid of some hilly stuff and b doubles, then up through Gundi, Warwick and down Cunninghams gap, pretty easy down the gap if you go steady, you will probably be following trucks anyway and they will be going down steady, steady. You can then turn off after Willowbank on the Haigslea/Amberley Rd then turn right on the Karrabin/Rosewood road and left on the Wulkuraka Connection Rd which will take you across the A2 and go up through esk, Kilcoy, caboolture and onto the M1 which will bypass Brisbane.

That or up through Gundi, Toowoomba to Ban Ban springs then right to Biggenden and on to Harvey bay.

Some of the roads further west are a bit rock and roll due to the black soil. Even the Liechardt Hwy north of Moonie can make you a bit sea sick.
AnswerID: 596263

Follow Up By: Geepeem - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 14:03

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 14:03
Good advice to avoid Brisbane if you can. Its pretty treacherous towing a van through Brisbane unless you use the Gateway bridge via the Pacific Highway which is not on your route.
0
FollowupID: 865144

Follow Up By: Andie - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:12

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:12
thanks for your input, very appreciated
0
FollowupID: 865159

Reply By: Member Andys Adventures - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 00:32

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 00:32
Hi Andie,

The golden Hwy is through the hunter valley with rolling plains, and takes you to the Pacific Hwy. I would go to Singleton and up the New England Hwy as it is a lot easier, and come in through Warwick... The pacific Hwy is still being upgraded and a lot of trucks....

Cheers Andy

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

AnswerID: 596265

Follow Up By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:29

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 07:29
If you are going up the New England then you wouldn't go all the way along the Golden Highway, you would turn off just west of Dunedoo, then up through Coolah, across to Tamworth its dead flat.
All the way along the Golden will certainly be the flatest way though to Brisy.
Andie i don't know your vehicle or caravan, but i wouldn't be worried about any of the roads over the range.
0
FollowupID: 865139

Follow Up By: Nomadic Navara - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 11:27

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 11:27
Going north from Tamworth on the New England Highway is just as hilly as any of the other roads crossing the Great Dividing Range.


PeterD
Retired radio and electronics technician

Lifetime Member
My Profile  Send Message

0
FollowupID: 865141

Follow Up By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 18:11

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 18:11
Agreed Peter, north of Tamworth does contain the hills. My wording was ambiguous, it is flat all the way to Tamworth the way I described, then hills north of Tamworth.

The flattest way if that is your prime issue is along the Golden Highway but it would have to add 150+km to the journey than going down the range anywhere north of Tamworth all the way to north of Toowoomba
1
FollowupID: 865155

Follow Up By: Andie - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:13

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:13
thanks for your help
0
FollowupID: 865160

Reply By: Jeffrey B7 - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 08:25

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 08:25
Andie.
Good road from Goondiwindi to Hervey Bay.
At Millmerran head North to Cecil Plains, Dalby, Kumbia, Kingaroy, and turn left to Woolooga about 22 ks' after Kilkivan.
This brings you to The Bruce Highway near Bauple then on to
Maryborough.
Reasonably good road all the way. That is the way I would go.
Overnight stops all through here.
Have a look on Google Earth to plot you journey.
Have Fun Haji-Baba.

Correction, 16.5 ks' Kilkivan to Woolooga turnoff.
AnswerID: 596266

Follow Up By: Andie - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:14

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:14
thanks for your help
0
FollowupID: 865161

Follow Up By: Phillipn - Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:49

Monday, Feb 15, 2016 at 20:49
Jeffery has given you the best way to go. most of the other advice will take you miles out of your way with heavy traffic.
Their is a great free camp at Kumbia.
0
FollowupID: 865168

Sponsored Links