Truckster (Vic) replied:

Mate from some place up on the hill behind Mogo when he comes down just goes the coast road.

Bega Photographer replied:

The other week we traveled home from Melbourne to bega. Departed from Diamond Creek, which is out past Greensborough.

Couldn't face struggling with the traffic and finding the way along Springvale Road and along whatever freeway it is.

Went along the Western Ringroad (?) and turned into the Hume Freeway. Next turn was to Tumut and I know the way from there. Great drive over the mountains.

Took about two hours longer that the Princes Highway, but that's two hours it didn't take off my life. Just a country lad, you know.

I would think that by the time you get level with Batemans Bay, the Hume Highway would be a bit closer to the coast.

I think you go down the Clyde Mountain.

Regards,
Laurie.

Laura aka diver 1 replied:

Id be going the Hume and then cutting across...some people think you need to go to Gouldburn and come down through Kangaroo valley into Nowra and then the our and half trip to the Bay.....

Definetly quicker going Hume...

Laura

jdbb replied:

I drove Melbourne to B/Bay via the Hume on Monday. Took the shortcut from Murrambateman to Bungendore. 7hrs 50min from the centre of Melbourne to the Bay bridge. Averaged about 98kph - don't think I got booked - time will tell. Once you get up the Clyde you can rattle along at 100 and 110 most of the way with little chance of getting stuck in traffic.

I did the same trip earlier in the year down the coast. I'm sure it took more like 9 or 10 hours that way. The road is a bit of a goat track until you get well into Vic.

Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) replied:

We do this trip regularly when taking the Ultimate over. We go the coast road but have a couple of short cuts. First is to go through Maffra - turn off just out of Traralgon. The second is to go via Bruthen after leaving Bairnesdale. This keeps you on quieter roads.

There are some great spots to break the journey or camp if you need to.

Peter

Peter McG (Member, Melbourne) replied:

They both take about the same time. If you go the coast then go via Maffra and Bruthen.

Peter

Member - Duncs replied:

I just did the Where Is search for the trip.

It initially said going via the coast would take about 8hrs 30min.

I then asked it to calculate the route via Albury and it takes you up the Hume to the Barton Highway then through Canberra and down into Batemans total time of 8hrs 47min.

I reckon there is nothing in it, although this could vary depending on where in Melbourne you are starting from, time of day and traffic.

Go the way you would rather drive.

Duncs

Bruce M replied:

Magic

My MapSpurce GPS software gives the following distances and times between the old Melbourne GPO @ Collins & Elizabeth Sts and the southern end of the Bateman's Bay bridge over the Clyde River:

via the Princes Highway, 760km, 8hrs 22 min, and
via the Hume Highway and Canberra, 796km, 8 hrs 18 min.

The answer to your question would appear to be that the Hume route is 36km longer, but marginally quicker - and I would expect more delays through the various settlements on the Princes Highway.

Hope that helps

Bruce M

Member - Shane D (QLD) replied:

I used to live at Moruya, which is 30KM south of the Bay and regulary travelled to Melbourne visiting relos and found the only time difference was relative to where you where going to in Melbourne, That is to say if i was aiming for, say, Dandenong I'd go the coast.
Sometimes there would be traffic issues on the coast road, but not as bad as some treks down the Clyde (from Canberra).
If you cannot decide which way to go, Do both, one up the other down.
Shane