Favorite road to drive in Australia

Matt P · 08-12-2008, 09:16 PM

I am sure it has probably been done before but I was wondering which roads in this great land are peoples favourites. Mine would have to be the Putty in NSW but I have never driven the great ocean road and people say it is awesome.

RG · 08-12-2008, 09:19 PM

The GOR is nice but too busy IMO.

My favourite is definitely the road between Woodend-Trentham-Blackwood in Victoria. Quiet, twisty and a 100 zone most of the way through.

mr smith · 09-12-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell

The GOR is nice but too busy IMO.

My favourite is definitely the road between Woodend-Trentham-Blackwood in Victoria. Quiet, twisty and a 100 zone most of the way through.

Shhh, dont tell too many.
GOR was good but agree that its too busy and the 80 limit spoils the fun a bit. Some real gems around central Vic if you explore off the regular routes, I like to get a map and workout a nice loop, weekdays are best.

tex · 08-12-2008, 09:22 PM

Most of Tasmania's secondary roads/ highways.

FPV+fteT3 · 08-12-2008, 09:31 PM

The old pacific hwy over the mountain at Buladelah since the fwy went in its almost got no traffic its windy, needs good brakes and acceleration of course you stick to the posted limits

: (they hold hillclimbs there occasionally) also the run down the old hwy to wisemsns ferry is good fun, then there's that bit of tar called eastern creek great on atrack day.

BFYOOT · 09-12-2008, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tex

Most of Tasmania's secondary roads/ highways.

true that!! parents live at yolla, near wynyard. gor 3 or 4 major tarmac rally stages right past their house. tas rocks for good driving

peachey80 · 09-12-2008, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tex

Most of Tasmania's secondary roads/ highways.

X 2 for that one ^^^^^

DoreSlamR · 08-12-2008, 09:23 PM

There is a great stretch of road Between Nannup and Balingup, Southwest WA.

I don't think many know about it, but it is awesome

Link to google maps

I'll try to get a couple of screenshots off streetview.

IH8HSV · 08-12-2008, 09:31 PM

Yeah I agree, the south west of W.A. has the best scenic roads.

Especially through Denmark and Warpole through the forests.

DoreSlamR · 08-12-2008, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IH8HSV

Yeah I agree, the south west of W.A. has the best scenic roads.

Especially through Denmark and Warpole through the forests.

Oh..scenic...yeah I guess that stretch of road is scenic

b0son · 08-12-2008, 09:42 PM

Warburton to Mt Donna Buang.

The Reefton Spur.

Tumut to Kiandra, Snowy Mountains Hwy.

Khancoban to Kiandra.

xy500 · 09-12-2008, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

There is a great stretch of road Between Nannup and Balingup, Southwest WA.

I don't think many know about it, but it is awesome

i agree with the area, though i prefer the brockman highway between nannup and bridgetown, i thought i was in tassy or something, amazing roads really gotta slow down for some of the corners - down to 50 k's at least

Caves road between Dunsborough and Augusta is great fun too, provided there arent too many tourists around...

DoreSlamR · 09-12-2008, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xy500

i agree with the area, though i prefer the brockman highway between nannup and bridgetown, i thought i was in tassy or something, amazing roads really gotta slow down for some of the corners - down to 50 k's at least

Caves road between Dunsborough and Augusta is great fun too, provided there arent too many tourists around...

Caves road gets a bit rough past Margs, but yeah it is mad.

I did it a few weeks ago actually, avoided all the tourists by heading out at about 2am (sleeping patterns got a bit mixed up for a while)

Bit spooky out there at that time of the night

Torquen · 12-12-2008, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoreSlamR

There is a great stretch of road Between Nannup and Balingup, Southwest WA.

I don't think many know about it, but it is awesome

Link to google maps

I'll try to get a couple of screenshots off streetview.

Dam that road looks awsum! kinda bumed tho, was just down in manjimup and didnt know about it. (not in my car though unfortunatly, sh1ty work car)

woodsy109 · 12-12-2008, 02:05 AM

I'll put in another vote for the Gillies range up in Cairns. I usually ride it on my bike once every couple of weeks. The Captain Cook Hwy is good but too many tourists that can't drive.

Paxton · 08-12-2008, 09:42 PM

The Royal National Park is probably my favourite, however it just isn't long enough.

The Old Pacific Highway (between Mooney Mooney and Kariong) is way up there as well. It is the right length, but the speed limit is low.

With fuel prices low, I can see myself going on more and more drives. The Putty road is next on my to do list.

DoreSlamR · 08-12-2008, 09:44 PM

Hope this link works:
Click

SNB05T · 08-12-2008, 09:52 PM

the run from just past mt Victoria to Bathurst via oberon and jenollan caves. good bit of twisty flowing stuff.

victoria pass south of wollongong

and the old pacific hwy from the pie in the sky to the reptile park at somersby, pitty about the speed limit drop though(blo0dy do-gooders!

: )

Mark s · 11-12-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan b

the run from just past mt Victoria to Bathurst via oberon and jenollan caves. good bit of twisty flowing stuff.

I would have to agree with this piece of Rd. I normally kick off on the Blackbird and do the run up, Bells Line of Rd and turn off at Bell and head up to Mt Vic, then do the run out through Oberon. Some the run has some nice twisty bit and some big open sweepers, which the Blackbird loves. There are some nice small pubs out in the boonies which are great for a feed and a lunch time ale.

I still enjoy the Putty it around 15 odd k's from my place via Comleroy Rd Kurrajong. It has a few twisties to start off with, then hits a heap of long sweepers then back to the twisties. I normally do the run mid week, when there is bugger all traffic and you can really open up the throttle.

Falc'man · 08-12-2008, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paxton

The Royal National Park is probably my favourite, however it just isn't long enough.

:

:

You up for a run some time this week? I wanted to go tonight but it's a little too damp for my liking...

BlackLS · 08-12-2008, 10:26 PM

Macquarie Pass

snappy · 08-12-2008, 10:32 PM

From the roads ive driven . I would have to say the rangers near apollo bay

SirHenry · 09-12-2008, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snappy84

From the roads ive driven . I would have to say the rangers near apollo bay

Awesome scenery along this road, the one I'm thinking goes from Apollo bay to Colac through the Otway Ranges absolutely stunning and we found it by accident (oops no accom booked on a Vic and SA pub hol weekend)

Great Ocean Road wow stunning!

Another one that gets my vote is the Great Alpine Road from Albury-Wodonga to Lakes Entrance/Bairnsdale via Beechworth, Bright and Mt Hotham stunning scenery extremely high views. and also eh the bakery is at Beechworth mmmmm

:

Allen · 09-12-2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirHenry

Another one that gets my vote is the Great Alpine Road from Albury-Wodonga to Lakes Entrance/Bairnsdale via Beechworth, Bright and Mt Hotham stunning scenery extremely high views. and also eh the bakery is at Beechworth mmmmm

:

I'm organising a cruise on this road at the end of Feb... It should be a good drive. From Wangaratta to Bairnsdale, with a detour up the Mt Buffalo Tourist Rd. Its in the Ozecruisers general section.

The black spur near Healsville is a great road... Although there is a bit of slow moving traffic...

homegrown · 08-12-2008, 10:47 PM

Adelaide hills.
Especially when the bay to birdwood is on and they open both lanes to go straight up the hill.

tankclare · 08-12-2008, 10:50 PM

Putty road is about an hours drive away..awesome windy open road.

There is another twisty road the back way from Tamworth to Port Macquarie (goes through Walcha). Starts off as 110km/h back road for about 45min then into 25-45 km/h stuff through the mountains for 75Km. Awesome road to hold some pace on and then have fun on the windy section. Good scenery to if your watching.

XR6TCraig · 08-12-2008, 11:12 PM

This is a tough one. I have driven extensively in 4 different states and could literally write 4-5000 words about my favorite roads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankclare

There is another twisty road the back way from Tamworth to Port Macquarie (goes through Walcha). Starts off as 110km/h back road for about 45min then into 25-45 km/h stuff through the mountains for 75Km. Awesome road to hold some pace on and then have fun on the windy section. Good scenery to if your watching.

That would be the Oxley HWY. Its a great road and gets my vote because it offers lots of variety and the road surface is pretty bloody good. Excellent road on a bike too. In fact its better on a bike than a car. If you are a Sydney sider and want to try a great road and have a weekend to kill, this would be my pick. Just dont forget to leave anyone who may get car sick in Walcha or Port ( depending on which end you are starting from)!

Other roads of note that I have really enjoyed are The GOR, Thunderbolts Way (between Gloucester and Walcha) the Gillies HWY up to the Atherton tablelands and Captain Cook HWY up to Port Douglas and also various roads around the Adelaide hills. The roads around Adelaide deserve a mention because the surface is a superior when compared to most typical Aussie back roads mentioned here already.

Personally, I also have a soft spot for the Old Pacific HWY North of Hornsby through to the turn off to Gosford, but the road surface is now rooted compared to what it once was. Heaps of great corners throughout and great scenery, particularly around the area between Pie in the Sky and the Brooklyn Bridge. Pity the speed limit is so low and road surface isn't as good as it could be.

irlewy86 · 08-12-2008, 10:59 PM

Campbell Pocket Road, Mt Mee, linking on to Dayboro road taking you accross Mt Mee, Mt Glorious and Mt Nebo and spitting you out at the Normanby for a beer. 90 minutes of pure driving pleasure.

Take a car anywhere through NZ and Tasmania and its hard not to be im pressed though.

Auslandau · 08-12-2008, 11:00 PM

Along the beach from Noosa to the Northern tip if Fraser Island. A great experience, especially driving at the waters edge and watching dolphins jumping metres from the car!

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Jeeepers · 09-12-2008, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by auslandau

Along the beach from Noosa to the Northern tip if Fraser Island. A great experience, especially driving at the waters edge and watching dolphins jumping metres from the car!

Yep, used to do that regularly when I lived in Noosa. Had an old '68 Landy. Stopping for an ice cream at the wreck of the Cherry Venture was cool too. Shame that wreck is now gone. I was once breathelised on the beach returning from Rainbow Beach. That was different.