Suggan Buggan

Just came down that road a few weeks back from Jindabyne to Buchan. Surface was high quality graded gravel at that time. BUT....... you'd better make sure you are happy with very narrow, very winding unguarded mountain roads - strangely, in many places there is no room at all to pass oncomings - someone has to back up to a wider spot to achieve this - this in company with the unguarded roadsides and near-on sheer drop offs found us squirming more than a bit. Caravans are posted both ends as a bad idea - our camper is short enough, but it seems any trailer would be a lability, re backing-up. Not for the local "brumby runners" though - they were scooting through the region with horse floats - at one stage I drove into a creek to let them by (thankfully we weren't in the mountainous section). BTW - the NP staff at Omeo told us that there had been quite a few head on prangs on that road in April (we saw the remnants of one) - caused by d**khead drivers of course - assuming that nobody was coming round the bend !......... anyway, that's how we saw it.......

Ian:
The road from Buchan to Jindabyne is "an all weather road". I say this, knowing that at this time of the year, snow can fall and close it off. The road is good gravel but you must watch out on the NSW side because there are a few very sharp corners down near the river which could bring you undone because they are at the end of long 80 km/hr straight sections and are not signed. The area around Suggan Buggan is really a 60 km/hr road or less. It is superb.

At this time of the year, it is fairly lonely, so I suggest that you notify someone of your itinerary in case you slip up. It would probably be 24 hrs before anyone else comes along if you stop.

There is a store at Seldom Seen Creek, which I believe has reopened after teh fires a few years back. After that, there is nothing until you hit Jindabyne.

Another nice detour is to go via McKillops Bridge (camping there) and on to Bonang. Both ways are very scenic. Travel time from Melb to Cooma should be about 8 hrs, assuming normal traffic. It is 1 hr shorter and 25 km longer to go via Cann River, butnowhere near as interesting.

Take your time and enjoy the trip.

Going from experience, don't do the road south of Willis (NSW Vic border) at night. They get absolute pea soup fog through there and it can be quite hazardous with a sheer drop of several hundred feet on the West side and a continuous rock wall on the East side of the rather narrow winding road.

30-40 km/h for three hours for the last 100 km to Willis Northbound, and that was pushing it. Wasn't till the drive home that my mate and I were saying OMFG!!!

It can also be very slippery in the dry as well as when wet, know of two people that have come to grief and slid off, fortunately into the hill not over the edge. That being said it is a very scenic drive, just take it very easy.