Which is the best road

Mark, I know what you mean about the Nebo range not being so steep but you would be surprised how many truck drivers lives that range has claimed and how many heavy loads climbing that hill lose traction in the dry and get into trouble. At least they are doing something about it now.

Mark you say you have recently done it 'a couple of ways', which was easiest?

Johnny

I prefered the way Google Maps suggested which I'd never done previously which was up the Leichardt Highway , dog leg north of Theodore, then up the Dingo - Nebo road. That's probably because I hadn't done it before and I enjoyed the different scenery. Google Maps said it as 45 minutes quicker than the Goondi-Roma-Emerald route, but I didn't try to measure it
Not much in it, both of those routes are very flat, the Leichardt Highway possibly marginally flatter, small 200m rise on both going through the Sandstone Belt

My calculations said going through/by Rocky and up the Bruce added a good hour to it, plus my dislike of the Bruce Highway and it's heavier traffic and more variable speeds.
Really not a great deal in it, go up one way back the other.
Mark

How the hell do you avoid the Newell highway?!

Done the Newell numerous times and never had a problem with traffic, especially trucks.

Ah but were you towing a 3 ton caravan?!

2.5 tonne with a Dmax.

The Newell is fine, even the Geese at Coonabarabran manage to wander across theNewell at the Castlereagh River many times a day.

I use it quite a bit, both towing a van and driving anything from singles to B doubles up that road, although not so much these days. Most truck traffic drops off at Goondiwindi and you get a good run north.

Have been on most of the roads mentioned in the last couple of months including up through Bourke. There is a lot of Stockfeed, grain and cotton being moved around at present, so you will still meet plenty of long truck combinations on the road. It is a long way to Airlie going via Bourke. If you wish to have a look or burn a lot of fuel then go for it but if you want to get to Airlie then as I said through Gundi then up to Rocky via westwood is the quickest easy route.

Hi Eagle,

So do you think it is better to get to the coast at Rocky rather than continuing on the A4- A1 thru Nebo to the coast?

Yes! but for different reasons to what you may think. As I and Sir Kev have said, if you come up from Gundi straight through you will get some rock and roll from Moonie to Condamine and some before Taroom due to the black soil moving under the road beside the road and everywhere else. You just drop your speed a little to accommodate.

The reason I like entering the Bruce at Rocky is it is the quickest run and an easy descent to the coast. The run up to Airlie from there is easy as the Bruce is through mostly open country with many overtaking opportunities for trucks and other vehicles. For the first 35K from Rocky to Yammba passing is a bit restricted.

Nebo is fine but you will get a lot of mine traffic on the Peak Downs Highway from Cleremont, trucks, wide loads, mine vehicles and workers. The Eton range is also no worries if treated with respect. They are doing a lot of work on it but that is not much of a holdup. It is not a long descent and you will probably be in a line of vehicles from the roadworks. On coming down the range, many got caught either missing speed limit or trucks use low gear signs leading to nasty accidents.
If you go via Nebo you can turn off at Eton over to Marian across the Pioneer River and come out 5K south of Kuttabul which saves you going into Mackay and back out. Just have a look on google maps.

All the roads are good by my standard, wide enough with just a bit of broken surface here and there, the same as any rural/regional area.

Couple of times loaded with 2.5t caravan on the back, I will leave a mates place at Goondiwindi and be in Mackay by the evening.

Hope the weather is kind to you and have a good trip.

Watch for Goats and roos either side of Bourke.

A71 is good to Cunnamulla and then onto Charleville.

I personally would not do the Leichhardt Highway. I would go Moree, St George, Roma, Rolleston, Emerald, Clermont.

The Leichhardt is doable but the melon holes from just south of Moonie to almost Condamine make for a very bouncy drive. (yes I drive that road often for work and avoid it when ever possible).

Cheers Kev