Driving Gold Coast to Sydney Dec '15. Ideas?

Old Sep 7th, 2015, 07:08 AM
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Driving Gold Coast to Sydney Dec '15. Ideas?

Will be visiting Australia for Christmas-New Year this year, staying with family in Sydney and the Gold Coast. We are planning to drive from Sydney to the Gold Coast and back, leaving Sydney on the 14 Dec and returning at some time before New Year. On the return, we will have our three sons with us, ages 24, 27, and 30. We are all very experienced traveling in Australia.

Over the years, we've done the Sydney-Gold Coast drive (inland and along the coast) a number of times usually just trying to get from A to B without seeing much in-between. This year, we're contemplating doing the return drive at a more leisurely pace, staying 2 nights somewhere along the way. Looking for suggestions on interesting places to see and nice places to stay that aren't too pricey. We love the outdoors, seeing wildlife, taking walks, enjoying nature, etc. Would love to hear your ideas and experiences.

Ralph
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Old Sep 7th, 2015, 02:02 PM
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Nice places we've been to along that route - Bangalow, Ballina, the fantastic view from Brother Mountain near Laurieton, Port Macquarie, Nelson Bay and Urunga.
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Old Sep 7th, 2015, 02:33 PM
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We live on the Gold Coast and are heading south later this month - we've decided to have a stop at Port Macquarie this time. You could easily fill two days there I think.

Bangalow is not too far down the track so a great place to have morning tea or lunch perhaps. Some wonderful antique / second hand stores there as well as art galleries etc.

South West Rocks is on the way and you could have a quick stop there and check out the jail - my DHs great grandfather (maybe GG grandfather) was foreman of the carpenters who built the jail.
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Old Sep 8th, 2015, 01:59 AM
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It will be peak holiday time so all accommodation will be pricey. Also be careful of the peak travel times for commuters driving to and from Sydney around the Xmas break time. Roads are congested if you pick the first or last day of the long weekend.
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Old Sep 8th, 2015, 06:30 PM
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I also live on the Gold Coast, and have driven to Sydney many times.

My favourite spot is Yamba, a pretty town perched on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They have a sheltered harbour where the prawn trawlers sit during the day, and at night you can watch their lights out to sea as they haul in the prawns. Cheapest and tastiest prawns I've ever had.

There were several highly awarded restaurants in town, although that may have changed, it's been a few years...

Iluka is a twin town across the river.

The Pacific Hotel had reasonably priced accomodation.
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Old Sep 12th, 2015, 07:59 AM
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Thanks for these suggestions everyone!
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Old Sep 14th, 2015, 02:01 PM
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You may not have considered staying in a cabin in a caravan park but here's a suggestion.
There is a little town called Urunga on the coast (it's about 20 km south of Coffs Harbour) with a caravan park right on the water's edge, really nice new large cabins which would take your family. The park name is Urunga Heads. There's a pub and two clubs across the road from the park.
We've stayed there several times and loved it.
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Old Sep 18th, 2015, 05:47 AM
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Great recommendations from everyone here. Yamba/Iluka, tops. Brunswick Heads,
Angourie, Broome Head, Red Rock, Scott's Head, Nambucca, Crescent Head, Hat Head, Cabarita, Woolgoolga, Arrawarra, Port Macquarie, Crowdy Head, Sth West Rocks, Grassy Head, Old Bar, Manning Point, Pacific Palms, Forster, Hawks Nest, Nelson Bay, Merewether, Catherine Hill Bay, Norah Head, Terrigal, Avoca...

Most of these, you have to drive in off the Pacific Highway, but if you or your boys are at all into surfing, they are all worth checking out, even over Xmas/NY.

Best little gems to stay at along the coast drive: Caribbean Motel, Pier St Coffs Harbour, (down near the wharf, opposite the pub, lots of nice restaurants, our favourite on the Newcastle-Brisbane run), or Mediterranean Motel
Crescent Head, via Kempsey. Both are cosy 3-star, owners very nice, very reasonable rates in nice surf locations. Book early, though.

happy travels,

Maree.
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Old Sep 18th, 2015, 02:32 PM
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Two more little gems:

Woolgoolga ( good for a stay)
Ulmarra ( charming little village ) stop for coffee/ lunch at the pub
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