Best road to Glen Innes
Submitted: Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:01
ThreadID:
84846
Views:
6091
Replies:
2
FollowUps:
5
This Thread has been Archived
rayza39
From MidNorth Coast NSW to Glen Innes with big 23ft Caravan. Which is best Hwy?? Gwidr or Oxley or Bucketts Way to
New England Hwy ??
Reply By: mike39 - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:22
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:22
Depends where you are coming from, but for me (live in GI) I would take the back road, Coffs/Coramba to Sth.
Grafton, then straight up the Gwydir Hwy.
The road is the widest of what you mention, plus the Bellingen/
Dorrigo road is restricted due to landslips.
Sounds like you may be coming up for Minerama? Should be a good one with plenty of
water in the creeks.
mike
AnswerID:
447549
Follow Up By: rayza39 - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 15:17
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 15:17
Thanks, will try via
Grafton, coming up for Celtic Festival
FollowupID:
719868
Follow Up By: mike39 - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 19:51
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 19:51
Reckon you will find that to be a good choice.
You can always opt to travel
home on of the alternates, but as we go down and up fairly regularly find it to be the most consistant best travel
Good mate is site (standing stones) manager for the Celtic Festival, he reckons this year will be a cracker.
cheers mike
FollowupID:
719918
Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:47
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:47
Hi Rayza,
I live between Port Macquarie and Kempsey and have towed our 20 footer up and down both the Waterfall Way (via Dorigo) and the Oxley Highway many times.
I prefer the Oxley Highway as it is wider and the road condition is much smoother than the Waterfall Way.
There is more passing room, for trucks and other motorists on the Oxley, not that there are many opportunities, and there is a good
rest stop about 2/3 of the way up at Stockyard
Creek. To Inverell there is little difference in time either way, there is only minutes in it but as I said the Oxley is the better road in my opinion.
Either way there are a lot of turns and twists. Once you are on top of the range the Oxley is by far the better road with long stretches of straight road where you can see for 4 or 5 K at a time till you get closer to
Walcha.
There is a good
overnight camp site at
Apsley falls ($5 per night honesty box) which is 20K east of
Walcha with good flush
toilets and wood supplied for a
camp fire and if there has been any rain, as has been the case lately, non stop, then the falls are really worth a look. Make sure you take your
camera as you will kick yourself if you don't. I have often stayed there and love it. Even fed jelly babies to a possom there one night. Talk about a laugh.
Once in
Walcha you take the right turn at the roundabout as you come in from the eastern side (
Apsley falls side) ans head to
Uralla which will get you onto the
New England and Glen Innes is north just up the road aways.
I have done the Thunderbolts Way tour a couple of years ago and saw plenty in that area worth looking at so if you would like more info just ask.
Cheers, Bruce.
| At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.Lifetime Member
My Profile Send Message |
AnswerID:
447552
Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:51
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 10:51
Rayza I should have asked, where are you starting from??
That might make a difference to our directions for you.
Bruce.
| At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.Lifetime Member
My Profile Send Message |
FollowupID:
719840
Follow Up By: Cruiser .- Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 12:30
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 12:30
Bruce,
I live in Port Macquarie and try to avoid the Oxley at all costs, even when I am not towing, but I guess we are all different. I prefer the Waterfall Way (delays or not) rather than the Oxley Highway.
Having said that, either way is fine as long as you take it easy.
Cheers,
Cruiser
FollowupID:
719850
Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 16:52
Monday, Mar 07, 2011 at 16:52
Hi Cruiser,
I know what you mean but no matter how you do it, to get to the top of the range you have to negotiate steep climbs and windy roads.
With an 8 foot wide van the left wheels are consistently in the broken edge of the road if you go the waterfall way and having broken one spring 80 K south of
Walcha near
Nowendoc and having to do the 160 K round trip to get a temporary repair done in
Walcha I am not keen to abuse the gear again. That is the only reason I prefer the Oxley. Otherwise just towing a camper trailer or the like I agree with you. I have travelled the Oxley extensively over the last 10 years and am fairly OK with it now. It is the only way to
Tamworth from where we live.
The Gwyder and the Bruxner are windy climbs also so it is much of a muchness no matter which way you go except for the consideration of road surface as I outlined.
As you say, to each his own, but I hear you.
Cheers, Bruce.
| At home and at ease on a track that I know not and
restless and lost on a track that I know. HL.Lifetime Member
My Profile Send Message |
FollowupID:
719876