Route

I would come all the way up to Goondiwindi, and head across from there to Warwick. From Warwick, the only real route is through Cunninghams Gap (across the Great Dividing Range). The road up from the Warwick side isn't too bad, but it's a very long way down. A very nice, scenic drive, though. Not sure about dog friendliness, I've never had to stop anywhere along this route as I live relatively close by.

If you head east from Dubbo via a network of mostly sealed roads you can get into the upper Hunter valley via Dunedo, Merriwa, Muswellbrook, Maitland and then onto the Pacific Highway. That is a fairly scenic route that avoids the mountainous stuff. Then its an easy and scenic run up the Pacific Highway with plenty of good overnight spots.

Val.

I can only see 4 options.

All roads bitumen and reasonable travelling except as noted.

1. As above to Maitland. Only been that way once a good few years ago.

2. Coonabarabin to Tamworth (good road) to Coffs harbour, with the road down the range into Coffs being a bit long and twisty. But scenic. Wife gets car sick on that one if I am enjoying the road/corners :o)

3. Moree / Glen Innes (good road) / Tenterfied / Casino Lismore. The Tenterfield to Lismore is a little twisty but not as bad as the road into Coffs. Also scenic. (Not so car sick.)

4. As above, come through to Warwick and cut through the south side of Brisbane, well head for Beenleigh or the Logan motorway (Toll road) and onto the highway there. Run to tweed is good except it can be busy at Tugun on the Gold Coast. Roads via Canungra and Tamborine Mountain are twisty and steep in places, and I would not take a van down the east side of Tamborine Mt, actually I think they are banned from that road. Through North Tamborine to Beenleigh is OK.

I hope you realise that the Newell Highway is probably the busiest highway in Australia with most of the Semi-trailers and B-doubles doing north/south/south/north runs using the route from Brisbane to Melbourne and places inbetween