sydney-melbourne, avoiding hazards!

uinseann

I will be coming from Ireland to ride sydney-melbourne, as much along the coast as possible(dont want long boring miles), but wanting to avoid highway hazards. I have been thinking about using princes highway, but have read different reports about cycling along it, from hellish to downright dangerous. Can anyone clarify, if it is safe-ish and can it be avoided, while still using sealed roads. I will be on a adapted race/tour bike, so don't fancy gravel roads. I have a reasonable amount of time and don't mind the extra miles. Staying with friends in melbourne at the end, so don't mind a hard slog during the tour. Also, i have considered the camping option, as i am not sure about the frequency of hostels, along the route. Can anyone help me on this. I suppose i would enjoy the camping option, if i knew that i was not too far from the next water stop, etc. Another question to all you aussie cyclists. weather!! I was thinking November. Is that a good time or still a little wet?(was hoping for a break from the irish rain!) thanks for any advice you can give me. Uinseann

peterlip

Don't know much about that ride, other than it's a long way. Just a lazy 1,000km or so.
For all your weather info, endless data can be found at www.bom.gov.au
Especially here: http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/

This is a different route, but maybe you could try this: http://www.audax.org.au/aurora.htm

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Jono L

Take note with this route the cooma to cabrammurra to Corryong has some serious climbing.

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Classic1-
Don't get me started on triathletes. Sluggo wearing, mechanically inept, dirty, dribbling, elbow steering spawn of Satan. Anyone who sticks food to their bike is a disgrace IMHO.

matagi

Get yourself a copy of Lonely Planet's "Cycling Australia" - it has a ride which goes along the east coast. You will need to reverse the route, which starts at Phillip Island (east of Melbourne) and heads north all the way to Brisbane.

If you intend to camp, then get a copy of the NSW and Victoria state maps produced by Steve Parrish Publishing, which actually show the location of campsites and water sources.

Going down the coast from Sydney to Eden, the towns are not that far apart and most have motels where you can get a room for the night. The quality can be quite variable in terms of comfort, and a most of them don't include breakfast. Once you get into the Gippsland region of Victoria, you should also have no problems fiinding accommodation and again, the towns are not that far apart. The only place you might have problems is between Eden and Bairnsdale(which is in Gippsland), depending on whether you stick to the coast road or head inland. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with that area but hopefully someone else will be able to fill in the gaps.

Weatherwise, October/November would be ideal - good weather, without being too hot.

classic1

November is normally the windiest time of year in south eastern Australia.

Travelling down the NSW coast you can avoid the Princes Hwy in places, though you'd mostly have to follow this major route. On the plus side, it is very scenic. From Orbost to Melbourne (the last 400km of the ride) you can completely avoid the Princes Hwy and use sealed roads without too many major detours or extra kilometres.

Eden to Orbost is quite remote and heavily forested, the road frequently twists and climbs, with only a few infrequent hamlets like Cann River and Genoa along the way. Plan ahead along this stretch, you don't want to be caught out of town in the middle of nowhere close to dark. Otherwise, should be no problems after Orbost.

anthonyg

Even though the Princess Highway is labelled Highway 1 its not much of a highway really. Much of it is single lane each way without a shoulder with a 100 km/h speed limit which means a lot of the traffic will be doing 110 km/h+. Impatient drivers in a hurry means its not really safe. Much of it travels through forests between the sea and the great dividing range which is scenic but there are very few alternative low volume road running beside it. Going through Canberra means less traffic but a lot of climbing and while there are fewer cars they will still be whizzing past on narrow secondary Highway's.

The Hume Highway is the only way that would be vaguely safe with a double carriage highway with shoulders but its a boring inland highway.

Regards, Anthony

artemidorus

Have a look at this thread:
http://www.cyclingforums.com/t-175911-15-1.html

I would consider getting tyres that will cope with unsealed roads, or else you'll really be limiting your possibilities and confining yourself to busier roads. Many important routes in Australia are unsealed, but certainly not singletrack! 28mm slicks would suffice, as long as your wheels are strong.

MalP

Nick, that looks like a fabulous route you guys took. I'm very envious!

Uinseann, be aware that although the Princes Highway nominally follows the coast, it doesn't necessarily follow it all that closely.

Mal

sogood

I would agree with AnthonyG. I've driven that route and although extremely scenic, but the part b/n NSW and Vic have a lot of rolling hills. With the 2 lane highway and 100km/h speed limit and fair amount of traffic including semi-trailers, I'd think twice about long rides there. Shoulders are notoriously narrow and drops into rocky and dusty sections that's inconsistent.

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artemidorus

The Princes Hwy north of Merimbula should be avoided wherever possible, especially north of Nowra. It's not pleasant - you'd become very aware of the standard Australian opinion of cyclists. Thankfully, most of it is easily avoided. Between Eden and Orbost, it's pleasant.

uinseann

Thanks for all the info. Thanks for the link to a previous thread with your route. What parts of your route would you avoid if doing it again. i am going solo(sounds better than alone), so don't want to be too isolated(not for safety, but for social reasons....i like small towns and a few beers after a day in the saddle, etc!), but also want to see a bit of the country, avoiding any long boring rural landscapes. Would rather have a bit of climbing than spend days punching out the miles on flat open boring roads.

i will arrive at sydney, and rather than hit the road straight away, i might stay in sydney for a few days. any recommendations on bike friendly and secure hostels/motels. would it be best to get train to wollongong to start trip to avoid sydney surburbs. You have been all very helpful.
Uinseann

mikesbytes

Ride from Sydney to Wollongong is fine. Would recommend the gong ride route

http://www.gongride.org.au/

A large number of riders follow a significate portion of this route early on Sunday mornings.

If you want to make it even quieter check out the RTA links in my signature.

Also, there is a bike path that travels pretty much the entire distance of wollongong. Not sure where the link is.

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artemidorus

The only bit that I would try to avoid would be the flatlands around Sale, but I'm not sure that that area is easily avoided. Most of the route that I have listed varied between pleasant and sublime. There is an alternative set of routes over the Australian Alps, which is entirely different from the route that I have posted.

mikeg

RTA Newcastle, Central Coast Illawarra Cycleways Maps


Mike