Here’s an interesting way to get to Port Melbourne from Canberra which avoids the Hume Highway and takes in a bit of the Victorian Highlands (43% gravel).
Route Plan Day 1 – Canberra to Taylors Crossing Campsite
The first leg runs thru Cooma and Jindabyne and then via Barry Way and Limestone Road to Benambra.
Shop in Benambra for dinner and breakfast at the campsite. Alternatively, pub stay in Benambra and don’t camp that night – save a 34km round trip to Taylors Crossing.
Destination
Distance
Arrive
Depart
Canberra
11:15 AM
Jindabyne
164
1:45 PM
2:15 PM
Benambra
210
Taylors Crossing Campsite
17
3:30 PM
Total
390
Fuel Range (Jindabyne to Benambra)
210
Gravel (Barry Way and Limestone Rd)
140
Benambra Pub has single rooms for $50 incl breakfast.
Day 2 – Taylors Crossing to Horseyards Flat
Breakfast in Omeo, lunch in Dargo. Shop in Briagalong for dinner at campsite.
Either run up to Pinnacles Lookout after setting up the tent or in the morning – or both depending on the road.
East Seaham, Glen Martin Road, Mashdale, Dungog, Monkerai to Gloucester. Then Barrington Tops Forest Road, Pheasants Creek Road, Tomalla, Pages Creek Road, Sergeants Gap, thru Crawney Station and Crawney Road to Nundle.
Forest Way, Topdale Road and Thunderbols Way to Nowendoc, then Nowendoc Road to Bundook and Belbora Creek Rd to The Buckett’s Way.
Krambach south through Bunyah and then Koolonock Road through Bulahdelah State Forest to Wootton Way.
Video
Number of Riders
2
incidents
none
Commentary
The 6kms of Pheasants Creek Road to Tomalla Road was quite special. The track was a really nice cobble stone like surface and very well maintained by NPs. The vegetation was varied and very attractive.
A fantastic alternative to Barry and Glenrock Station crossing between Nundle and Ellerston. The run through Crawney Station is a really nice track. Sergeants Gap is pretty steep and even though uphill seems easier in most cases than downhill, I’m not sure if I’d like to go south and uphill thru Sergeants Gap. But that’s just my first memory of it.
Nowendoc Road was also a highlight, I love those valleys where you see the track wind out in front over and through all the hills. An ever present river adds scenic charm and the road is well maintained – a “commodore road”.
Koolonock Road thru Buladelah State Forest is a favourite of mine. It runs along a ridge so avoids the sort of damage brought by heavy rains. But this time it was obvious there had been very little traffic lately. As a result the leaf litter was heavy, making it difficult to read the track surface. As a result there were frequent shocks and the need for caution along most the track.
cautions
None
accommodation
Overnight accommodation at Peel Inn Hotel, Nundle. Good value at $45/n share twin incl hot breakfast.
OSM Map Corrections
None
Stats
Actual 695kms
Ambient Temp
21-37C
Max Engine Temp (at front rocker cover)
127C
Road Conditions
no rain all roads dry & dusty some causeways very little water
