Great Alpine Road or Snowy Mountains
 

Hi!

I am in the midst of planning a road trip between Sydney and Melbourne and I have to make a choice between the Great Alpine Road or Snowy Mountains. Which road provides a better scenery? I will be traveling in Oct 12.

Regards.

My choice would be the Snowy Mountains, via Jindabyne, Thredbo and the Alpine Way, then joining the Hume Highway at Wodonga. You could ride the chairlift up the hill at Thredbo, and then walk to Mount Kosciusko - it is a pretty easy walk.

I would skip the Hume (it is basically a freeway) and go via Dalgety (winery/brewery) then Bombala. Jindabyne has a gret Schapps distillery.

From there you can go via Cann River (faster) or Delegate-Orbost (more remote slower road great forests).

Either way will take you throught the wet forests of East Gippsland and then past the Gippsland Lakes. From there is is an easy drive to Melbourne. From Sale it is pretty much dual carriage to Melbourne. Or you can go via the south Gippsland highway and more coast taking about an hour longer in drive time.

This will give you are great look at the variety this area has to offer.

Thanks for the replies!

I am planning to travel from Sydney to Melbourne via the coast which will take me 6 days:

Day 1: Sydney to Jervis Bay

Day 2: Jervis Bay to Tilba Tilba

Day 3: Tilba Tilba to Croajingolong

Day 4: Croajingolong to Metung

Day 5: Metung to Walhalla

Day 6: Walhalla to Melbourne (Stop by Phillip Island)


As for the return leg from Melbourne to Sydney, I was actually planning to travel via Hume Highway to Hillview Farmstay then via Snowy Mountains to Canberra via Cooma.

Original Plan:

Day 1: Melbourne to Hillview Farmstay (Hume Highway)

Day 2: Hillview Farmstay

Day 3: Hillview Farmstay to Canberra

Day 4: Canberra to Blue Mountains

Day 5: Blue Mountains to Sydney

New Plan

Day 1: Melbourne to Jindabyne

Day 2: Explore Jindabyne/Mt Kosciusko

Day 3: Jindabyne to Canberra

Day 4: Canberra to Blue Mountains

Day 5: Blue Mountains to Sydney

Appreciate your comments. Thanks!

According to Google Maps Melbourne to Jindabyne is a 7-8 hour drive. Granted half will be on the freeway the last half is over winding mountain roads. Whereas Jindabyne to Canberra is only 2.5 hours.

I would suggest stopping day one near Beechworth for the gold history or Albury for the Murray River.

The rest looks quite comfortable.

Where to you plan to stay at Croajingolong National Park?Mallacoota is lovely, Cann River is just a spot on the highway with minimal facilities, but good enough for one night.

When you get to Bairnsdale stop at St Mary's Cathedral in the main street on the right. It has a big tower and is near McDonalds and the Tourist info centre so is hard to miss.

The ceiling has been painted/covered with lots of biblical images. It is not the Sistine Chapel but a decent country version. The story goes the the image of the devil on the ceiling is a likeness of the presbytary's house keeper who by accounts was not a nice woman.

From Bairnsdale to Sale keep an eye on the sky. You may be lucky enoughto see our Airforce Aerobatic Team based in Sale practising. It is also a good section of road to see birds of prey particularly the hovering black shouldered kite.

I usually travel between Bairnsdale and Sale via Bengworden Perry Bridge and Clydebank. It is only a about five minutes faster but there is less traffic/trucks and more chance of seeing the kites in the sky and echidnas on the side of the road.

Sale is an administrative town with not much to see except some wetlands on the southern outskirts with some lovely walks over boardwalks through red gum woodlands.

Traralgon likewise is just a big regional town. It is the home to the largest coal mining in the country and the open cuts are worth a look.

Walhalla is lovely and has some good stories.

Enjoy your drive through my back yard.