Delightful distractions
 

Welcome!

I thought I would start a new thread about less travelled alternate routes, based on where I have travelled in Australia.

Some of these suggestions will be small diviation, maybe 20km or so, others much longer. Idea is to break up long monitous highways or boring roads with more scenic alternatives.

So let's start, first suggestion is a well known iconic road. If you are travelling up the east coast of Australia take The Lakes Way. This route leaves the Pacific Highway at Bulahdelah and will take you through Forster/Tuncurry and back onto the highway maybe 60 - 80km north of Bulahdelah. The Lakes Way goes through some stunning wet forests (60m tall), littoral rainforests, stunning beaches and of course a few lakes. Some great camping locations can be found here, or hard roofed accomodation. Can get very busy in peak season but a handy diversion away from the highway.

I really loved the coast line and national parks north of Port Macquarie. If you're heading north and are in camper van or have tents turn off into Port and head towards Settlement Point. Take the ferry over the river at Settlement Point (its not free, from memory it's a few dollars). Once over the river turn right and take the coast road towards Cresent Head. You head through Limeburners Creek NP and there are some great camping locations there. The road heads towards Cresent Head at which point you can turn off and head back to the high and resume heading north.

Another favorite is the Pacific Highway from Brisbane to Sydney, very picturesque.

I am going to take that as tongue in cheek as the new Pacific Motorway bypasses all the interesting sights, certainly the old highway was more interesting. Plan is to slowly add suggestions over the coming weeks.

So two minor diviations, firstly if you heading north or south along the Pacific Highway and don't feel like heading through the bottleneck that is Coffs Harbour take the Coramba road. It's not to winding and takes you through the Coffs hinterland. The road essentially follows the Orara River valley and takes you all the way to Grafton. Some nice swimming locations at Nana Glen. You will bypass about 90km of the Pacific Highway.

Second suggestion is to head into Grafton and take the Lawrence Road north. This is a great drive which is very scenic. As soon as you leave Grafton you are in sugar cane country, Welcome to the subtropics! You drive through the cane fields all the way to Lawrence then take the Bluff Point ferry across one of the arms of the mighty Clarence River. Follow the road onto Maclean, some great cafes in this pretty town on the Clarence. You rejoin the Pacific Highway at the Yamba interchange. Just over the river is the southernmost coffee plantation (at Wombah) in Australia.

What a great idea, Grant W - thank you.

If you have a bit of time, the road up through Rathdowney to the Gold Coast or Brisbane is one of my favourite diversions. Picturesque, with dramatic landscapes ... and a good pub at “Rathy” for the a great steak or the world’s biggest pork chop.

Ulmarra, Smithtown, Crescent Head, Nambucca Heads & Woolgoolga are charming little spots, well worth a visit or overnight.

Thanks Bokhara2, some nice suggestions as well.

I am going to piggy back onto your Rathdowney suggestion. If you are heading to Brisbane go via Kyogle and the Mt Lindsay Highway. Scenery is amazing, with good views of landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle (a peak). Another way to get to Rathdowney is via the winding Lions Rd.

Haha Grant, we discovered Rathdowey ( and the “ Rathy Pub”) when we took the wrong road years ago. It was a good find & such dramatic rock faces!