Toowoomba to Coffs Harbour

Submitted: Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 19:34

ThreadID: 101579 Views:3062 Replies:4 FollowUps:3

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Mysterybags

Hi Everyone

We are planning a trip from Toowoomba to Cofs Harbour towing the caravan.
Any advise on the best route to take? We are travelling with two kids (7 & 10) so if we could show them some interesting things along the way...
Anyone know of any free (or cheap) one night stops about half way to split the trip?

Any help is much appreciated.

Chris

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Reply By: Member - Peter H1 (NSW) - Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 20:29

Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 20:29

Toowoomba to Warwick 84k
Warwick to Tenterfield 114k [visit "the Tenterfield Saddler shop"]
Tenterfield to Casino 127k [Casino Village CP Big 4 now]
Casino to Grafton 100k
Grafton to Coffs Harbour 81k

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Follow Up By: baz&pud (tassie) - Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 20:41

Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 20:41

You can camp at the Tenterfield Show ground, there is a charge $??,, the Jackadgery cvp on the banks of the Mann River, show ground at Grafton.
Baz

Go caravaning, life is so much shorter than death.

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Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 21:08

Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 21:08

Can't tell you what is the best way as it depends what your criteria is (quickest, shortest, least hills, least traffic etc).
IF you travel via Glen Innes, you could stop at Gibraltar Range National Park, lots of interesting short (1-3km) walks at nearby Washpool NP if you are into bushwalking in World Heritage sub tropical rainforest.
The old Glen-Grafton rd is probably not suitable for a caravan, but if yours is small and your tug is a 4WD you could go that way where you go through a convict constructed tunnel, camp at Dalmorton camp ground, minimal fees and lots of room for kids to run around & explore the bush. Or camp at Mann River reserve down the bottom of the hill on the old Grafton Rd.
Again if your tug is a 4WD and caravan has reasonable clearance Station Ck in Yugilgar(? spelling) NP half way between Coffs and Grafton is a good place to stop, take a run along the beach (without the caravan) if the tides are right up to Pebbly Beach. Though as it's only 40km from Coffs it might be too far for you.

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Reply By: Mysterybags - Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 21:21

Monday, Apr 08, 2013 at 21:21

Thanks guys, some good suggestions to look at.
We do have 4x4 so would be good to use it a bit more to its potential.

Chris

AnswerID: 508504

Follow Up By: rumpig - Tuesday, Apr 09, 2013 at 17:56

Tuesday, Apr 09, 2013 at 17:56

the old Grafton - Glen Innes Road is very windy with lots of blind corners, suitable for towing camper trailers and small vans but not something you'd tow a large van along IMHO. coming from the West and heading East at the start of this road you drive down a very very steep decent for quite some time before the road flattens out through the country side, i used the gearing off my vehicle and stayed off the brakes as much as possible towing our camper down it, and even still the brakes were getting pretty hot by the time i'd reached the bottom. we stayed at Dalmorton on our trip, but IMHO the Mann Reserve is a prettier camp ground and i wished we'd stayed there instead.
here's a link to a trip report i did on another forum going through this area, you'll need to join the forum (free of charge) to view the report though http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=25608.msg394829#msg394829 after day 4 of the trip report is where you'll likely be interested in reading from, read to the end and you can see Copeton Dam on our run home as a place you may be interested in camping at on your way to Coffs or back home again. if your into walking then definately stop at Girraween Nat. Park and climb the Pyramid or even Bald Rock Nat. Park and climb that rock also. here's another trip report i did of our visit to that area, this one you should be able to see without joining the site i thinkhttp://forums.overlander.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=60924
Cheers

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Reply By: The Bantam - Wednesday, Apr 10, 2013 at 09:58

Wednesday, Apr 10, 2013 at 09:58

Hell Hat city to Summer Bay is hardly big trip.....if ya started early you could be there by afternoon smoko by heading down the highway....

On the other hand, if ya want to make a tour of it........ya not skint for choices.

Even on the bitumen you'd have a choice of several highway routes if you weren't looking for the shortest.

If its a 4wd capable rig.....Oh hell.....how long do you want to take to get there and what do you want to see.

If you headed off toward Warrick, a couple of hours would see you at Queen Mary falls & the associated CVP......from there you could do the Condamine run with its 26(is it) river crossings....there are several camp grounds in there....a couple on the dam and one at Old Korela.....from there you could flog about in the various forestry and national park and stay off the highway and sealed roads most of the way into Coffs.....

cheers

AnswerID: 508633