Sydney to Adelaide. Best, Worst Route. Best, Worst Pubs?

Hi there,

I'm going to be back in Godzone for a holiday in November. I'm riding from
Sydney to Adelaide and back and would like some advice on the
best/interesting routes. I've never been out far west NSW and thought about
going to Broken Hill & Silverton. Pretty straight roads once you're past
Dubbo, fairly boring :-( but nothing much to slow you down . Is that a
fair assessment?

Alternatives are down the Western , the Hume & Sturt, or even through Wagga
and follow the Murray. As there's more roads there, is there more
opportunity for tastiness? I'm going to be on an RS Sprint, so sealed and
reasonably surfaced roads are preferred.

Recommendations for refreshment stops also gratefully received.

I'm planning about 4 or 5 days for the outbound journey. That about right?

I'm coming back through Victoria and the Snowys visiting friends and
relatives on the way, much more leisurely..

Thanking you in advance for the kindness and wisdom that this group is noted
for.

Tony

 

Plenty of cops out that way, last time I rode that road I sat on 130 but on
a number of ocassional patrol cars were sitting over the top of crests. You
pay your maoney and take your chances.

Boxer

 

In aus.motorcycles on Mon, 18 Sep 2006 23:25:16 +0100

Way I usually go is via the Hay plain, turn left at Balranald, and go
through Ouyen and Pinaroo.

The plain is boring, but the route from there's not too bad and not
heavily policed.

(Mind you, Big did see a cop car when he was doing umm... possibly a
bit more than the sanctioned speed, but the cop was going the other
way and didn't turn round.)

That's taking it dead easy! I do it in a day and a half, stopping for
a real bed, Big does it in one hit kipping by the road.

Zebee

 

On my map its about 1300km on the most direct route. That's doable in
one day, during daylight hours, if you really set your mind to it... two
days if you stopped on the way, Hay is about halfway. If you were to go
around the coast you could spend a leisurely 3-4 days following the
Princes Hwy, Great Ocean Road, etc.

Nev..
'04 CBR1100XX

 

Yep that was on B12, somewhere between Piangil and Ouyen - he was in a
landcruiser, so he wasn't about to give chase, but I did feel the need
to keep super strict observance of the in-town speed limits pretty much
all the way to Talim Bend... I got pulled over along that same stretch
for a "breath test" on the way home a few days later by a cop in a
landcruiser, I told him that I'd just spent a week at a friends in
Adelaide and how much fun the ride to Adelaide along the Great Ocean
Road a couple of weeks earlier was ;-)

I didn't have a sleep last time, but I did spend an hour or so getting a
new tire put on in Hay - I noticed when I stopped for fuel in
Manangatang that I could see the belts on the rear tire...

To the OP, if you've got 4 or 5 days in hand, I'd follow Nev's advice -
take the Great Ocean Road, get there from Sydney either down the coast,
or through the snowy mountains - November's a great time of year to run
through there... If I was fgoing to take 4 days to get to Adelaide, the
first half of this route would probably be the first day or two:
http://www.mightymedia.com.au/~bigiain/bug_collecting/map.html

cheers,

big

 

With 4-5 days, you could go down through the Snowy to Tintaldra, then follow
the Murray river west, taking in all the crossings and some interesting
towns. It would be a good ride.

Al

 

Zebee's route is the quickest and the least car infested. If you've
never seen the Western Plains, you should. Hay is a common half-way
destination (following the Sturt) but Narrandera is a more attractive
town, and Narrandera - Adelaide is a comfortable day.

When you get out on the plains, plan to step every so often in the
middle of nowhere between petrol stops, take off your helmet, and spend
5 minutes soaking up the emptiness.

IMO it's pointless travelling to Broken Hill unless you're planning to
spend time off-road.

 

Did the trip 2-up on the 'bird a couple of months back from mid north
coast. Down to Raymond Terrace...Golden Highway to Dubbo then Hay,
Balranald, Ouyen Pinaroo, Murray bridge. Returning the same route then
deviating through Cowra, Lithgow Windsor.
Hit the thottle a few times but had a close shave with 2 plain clothes cars
on remote sections before & after Dunedoo. Also passed several highway
patrol cars on the Hay plains. It pays to expect them anywhere, anytime.
Did the trip in daylight, two days each way, road conditions were average
for NSW...corrugated & lumpy bitumen in places. Emus on side of road past
Hay.
We intend to do the trip again next month but this time will take in the
Ocean Road on the return trip.
G.

 

Eh? Hay is a great place, albeit smaller than Narrandera, the
scenery/landscapes don't compare. I'd consider it a must do, plus if it is
"steak nite" at the RSL, it is a cultural event not to be missed.

Just watch out for the big trucks....

Oh, yes. An miss some of the beaut scenery from Mad Max?

Where do you need to travel "off-road"? Has a recent flash flood cut the
roads again?

I'd include a lap out to Wilcannia as there is this belief that it is unsafe
and you can chalk it up to all the urban legends that you survived the ride.

Just remember that it is flat and straight with big wildlife, big transports
and big roadkills out there.

Have fun.

Hammo

 

I would head over the mountains to Bathurst and follow the old Olympic Way
.. Bathurst - Blayney- Cowra - Young and down to Wagga then the Hay Plains
which is pretty shit and on to Mildura and down to Adelaide. On your way
back go the Great Southern Road

 

Having just read more Shane posts than any reasonable person could
digest in one evening, I'm in a belligerent mood. He can get most of the
Hay experience just by filling up there (I can think of a gadmillion
places in western Sydney where he can get the <cringe> steak nite
</cringe> experience). And doing it my way he'll ride through Tooleybuc
(NSW most isolated teacher posting) while the happy infants are
gambolling and being scenic, whereas if he stays in Hay he'll pass
through Tooleybuc while they're still working the farm.