Lodging Reservations in NSW

Old Mar 4th, 2017, 11:30 AM
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Lodging Reservations in NSW

My wife and I are planning a trip to New South Wales in March, 2018. We would prefer to arrive in Brisbane, then drive to Sydney via Hunter River Valley and Blue Mountain National Park. For maximum flexibility we prefer not to make lodging reservations beforehand. Can someone who's been there give some incite as to whether advance reservations are necessary if we travel in March?
Whatever you answer would the same be true in Tasmania?
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Old Mar 4th, 2017, 11:59 AM
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If I was travelling in NSW or Tasmania in March, I wouldn't book ahead BUT I would check for Easter dates and public holidays and book for those periods. Much easier not to have bookings and it gives you the opportunity to change your mind if the weather is bad or you particularly love a place.
I usually carry a short list of recommended motels with their addresses and phone numbers and I can ring ahead to see if they have vacancies if necessary.
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Old Mar 4th, 2017, 12:20 PM
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Welcome to Fodors wroderick!

You should be fine to book as you go next March. Easter isn't until 1st April, so you wont' be running into school holidays.

That said, it's a good idea to check for festivals, conferences etc., Voice of experience here - we ran into a Local Government Conference in Dubbo one time & had to go on to Narromine to find a room.

If you have a look at the websites for your various destinations, there will usually be a list of festivals & other events. I like to do this, as there can often be something interesting (like the races at Lightning Ridge, Food Week in Orange, Opera in the Vines in the Hunter Valley ) that I'd like to see & which would be worthwhile booking ahead to include.

The same advice would apply for Tasmania. Ask here and have a look at websites for events.

In all Australian States & Territories, it's a good idea to have a look at the available accommodation in the towns you think you may wish to stay in, as some places may have limited hotels, motels, etc. Tasmania only has a poulation of about 500,000

Hope you have a wonderful trip. Are you planning to use the coastal, inland route or a mix of both?
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Old Mar 4th, 2017, 12:53 PM
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A while ago I posted the following in answer to a request for info on a Brisbane-to-Sydney trip; I'm repeating it here:

Brissie to SunnySinny - I’ve done this drive more times than I can remember, at one time for work when I usually had no option but go down New England Highway for speed reasons, and many times since for leisure (aah - retirement...). That’s when I have learned to take it easy and enjoy the non-linear ways.

Warning: This will take a moment - get a good map and try to follow, it will be worth it, I promise.

My favorite route goes something like this, using many secondary and tertiary roads that will make this much more enjoyable and much slower than either the New England Highway 15 (http://www.atn.com.au/maps/sydbne2.html) or the Pacific Coast Highway A1 (http://pacificcoast.com.au) but using parts of both:

Tamborine Mountain (unless you did that as a daytrip while based in Brisbane?)

Advancetown Lake (97) south to the border

NSW 34 to Murwillumbah - Dum Dum (not you...) - Uki - Nimbin (by the “Nightcap” National Park - raise a glass before bedtime!)

A word about Nimbin: In the minds and memories of many Baby Boomers this holds a place dear to the heart - it was a counterculture headquarter where alternative lifestyles were celebrated and - largely but not always - tolerated. Much of what was “outrageous” in those days has now become mainstream, and I’m sure you can tell your parents that you drove through Nimbin and took a good look around without them cutting out your allowance as punishment... See http://www.visitnimbin.com.au

Continue your countryside hill-and-dale driving to Lismore, a regional center with many motels etc. Note that “Pubs” (Public Houses - watering holes of old) used to offer simple accommodation and many still do, but not usually in the main building but in adjacent motel-style units.

However, if your budget requires it, ask if they have “pub” rooms still available, we slept in one such room for a pittance not long ago - the bare lightbulb and the sagging mattress notwithstanding, it was a cheap and memorable experience for just the one night...

Now head to Ballina and the A1, and soon you’ll be in Grafton, another regional center, nicely located on a river.

Now the country ride and mountain fun begins:

Head for Nymboida, Dundurrabin, and before Ebor pick up the B78 that will take you to Armidale.

Armidale is a lovely regional center, a town full of contradictions, a university town at the same time as an agricultural center - academia meets the barn - and with lots of arts and crafts and other gems.

Now you take the A15 south for a bit, but soon it becomes monotonous and Tamworth (the oh-so-phony wannabe Nashville country-music imitator) bears few charms, so in Bendemeer you hang a left and take the B56 through Walcha and past the Cottan-Bimbang National Park to the A1 near Port Macquarie.

There’s a Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park right there - http://billabongzoo.com.au.

Head south for a few km and turn toward the ocean on Houston Mitchell Drive, stay on it through North Haven and Dunbogan and past Crowdy Bay National Park, either enter the park and come out the other end to regain the A1, or hang a right and take Coralville Rd to the A1.

Now keep going south on A1 but be aware of many worthwhile spurs to places like Forster and Blueys Beach, and - after Bulahdelah - down to Hawks Nest.

Around Heatherbrea it’s decision time: Head south (A43) towards Newcastle and - past the city - to Toronto and Morisset, or follow A1 to where it becomes M1 (expressway) to Sydney, or ignore the M1 and take the B68 west to the wine region of the Hunter Valley?

Cessnock has a visitor center that will inform you about the wineries etc. My favorite: Tyrrell’s in Pokolbin. But there are lots and lots of good ones, take your pick.

A last hurrah of a hilly drive is via Wollombi and Wisemans Ferry down to Sydney.

Or take the M1 for a rapid ride.

This could easily take a week if you do it right - you can wing the accommodations as you go.

You’ll get it all - beaches, mountains, parks, solitude, great scenery, the lot. Enjoy!
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Old Mar 14th, 2017, 12:10 PM
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Sorry I didn't check for answers sooner, but thanks to all of you for your replies. Even better, the answers were what I wanted to hear as all of you say it's ok to travel without advance reservations as long as you watch out for festivals and major events.
We have previously learned our lesson about major events. In Denmark, we showed up in Arhus on a weekend a festival was going on. We had reservations, so the hotel was ok, but the festival clogged the streets so much we couldn't do the self-guided walking tour we planned.
Anyway, we'll do better in Australia and will take all of your advice into account as we plan.
Happy travelling.
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Old Mar 14th, 2017, 12:16 PM
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This is a special reply to Michelhuebeli. Thank you for the detailed directions for a Brisbane to Sydney driving trip. I just got a map of NSW. I'll sit down with it and your description and see where it takes us. We like to get off the beaten path, so will probably take some of your ideas and incorporate them into our drive. Thanks again.
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Old Mar 14th, 2017, 01:00 PM
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Definitely take the advice re checking for holidays and festivals. We were in Tasmania during a regatta in Hobart and the entire city was booked and apparently for miles around.
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Old Mar 14th, 2017, 01:58 PM
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Another reason for having a good, detailed paper map in addition to a GPS is that GPS is not infallible.
There will sometimes be a glitch that sends you on a wild goose chase & if you have a paper map, you can easily check & get out of it.

A GPS will also not show an alternative route in the event of a road being closed due to flood or fire.
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