Which way to go?

They are both good sealed roads. Depends on if you want to sight see on the way. Not many towns along the Barrier Highway. Use Google Maps to compare distances and times.

Brett - There's not much difference in total travel time, but a lot of difference in what you see along the way.

The interior route is less crowded, more boring stretches, and probably flatter.
The routes closer to the coast are hillier, more scenic, and have more traffic.

The missus and I drove Adelaide->Horsham->Bendigo->Shepparton->Narrandera->West Wyalong->Gilgandra->Coonabarabran->Tamworth->Glen Innes->Warwick->Brisbane->Hervey Bay->Fraser Island in 1994 in my 80 series, and we enjoyed the route - despite the "horror" New England Hwy section (which was pretty bad then).

I understand the New England Hwy is a pretty good road today. But I would still do it again.
The inland routes carry less traffic and have less traffic lights, so that makes driving less stressful and less tiring.

Adelaide to Hervey Bay - route choices

Cheers, Ron.

We have found Broken Hill, Cobar, Bourke, Moree, Goondiwindi, Dalby, Kingaroy the shortest/quickest with least towns or reduced speed limits, all roads are pretty good. All that country should be greened up at the moment.
If you want dirt, turn onto the Tilpa road after Wilcannia, shorter still.

Cheers for the info guys....will probably go thru Broken Hill on the way and come back the other as we are heading down to Pt Macquarie onthe return trip.

Thanks
Brett